Senate committee approves bill to allow third‑party plan review and inspections for building permits

Chair Caesar Quam recognized Senator Joshua Bridal to present Senate Bill 322 and an accompanying amendment. Bridal said the amendment effectively becomes the bill and described the legislation as a rework intended to accelerate building permits and inspections by allowing third‑party reviewers and inspectors.

"What Senate Bill 322 does is provide an alternate path for third party inspections, but still using the city as a regulatory body to provide oversight to the process," Bridal said. Under the bill, after an applicant submits required plans and documents, a city has five days to state whether it can meet a 60‑day plan‑review window. If the city cannot, an applicant may engage a third‑party reviewer: a registered engineer, registered architect, or a city‑approved third‑party firm or individual (for example, a retired inspector or planner).

Bridal said third parties must provide an affidavit that reviewed plans comply with the city's codes and ordinances. The city then has 10 days to review a third‑party plan review; if the city identifies errors, it must return the plans with specific citations and the tolling period pauses. If the city's review window expires, the permit would be issued under the fast‑track process. For inspections, Bridal said third parties would carry out inspections, notify the city of inspection timing, and the city would have one business day to object; silence would be deemed approval. Bridal emphasized that only the regulatory authority may issue a certificate of occupancy.

Senator Petty asked whether the bill would cover subdivisions; Bridal said the bill does not change subdivision review processes, which typically go through the city's planning board. Petty and others pressed on why builders would pay for third‑party services when cities provide inspections. Bridal replied that third parties carry professional licensing and errors‑and‑omissions insurance, giving developers legal recourse if an inspector errs. "There's insurance requirements for that third party," Bridal said, and cities may maintain lists of approved third‑party inspectors and can reject third parties with poor records.

Senator Rice asked whether a particular association backs the bill; Bridal said no single association led the measure but he had discussed it with large and small builders, plan reviewers and engineers during drafting. Bridal also said the idea was informed by a Georgia law authorizing third‑party inspections that he reviewed.

After questions and no public testimony, the committee adopted the amendment and then voted to advance Senate Bill 322 as amended. Senator Bridal moved to adopt the bill as amended; a second was recorded but not named in the transcript. The motion carried on a voice vote; no roll‑call tally was provided in the transcript.