Committee hears bill to extend inspection timelines after declared emergencies

Senate Bill 10, introduced by Sen. Forrest Mandeville at the Senate Local Government Committee, seeks to extend certain statutory timelines that govern on‑site inspections when a declared emergency has occurred.

Mandeville said the change is prompted by extreme weather in his district and other parts of the state where floodwaters or other conditions prevent immediate assessment of foundations, septic systems and infrastructure. "Sometimes it takes a while to assess how much damage occurred," he said, noting the bill "allow[s] some additional time frames, in an emergency when that has occurred."

Haley Graf, stream permitting coordinator for the Conservation Districts Bureau at the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), appeared as an informational witness and said she would be available to answer technical questions related to stream permitting and the 310 law. Committee members did not ask further questions of witnesses.

There were no proponents or opponents in the hearing record beyond the informational witness. The committee closed the hearing with the sponsor thanking the chair; Vice Chair Weber said executive action will occur later. No formal action was taken during the hearing.

Next steps: the committee will take executive action on SB 10 at a later date.