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Senator pitches expedited appeals, virtual hearings for building inspections in SB 6
Summary
A senator told the Ohio House Development Committee that Senate Bill 6 would require local and state building‑appeals boards to start expedited appeals within one day, hold hearings within five business days, allow virtual hearings, and permit additional fees up to $500 per day (capped at $1,000) to fund the process.
A senator testifying before the Ohio House Development Committee urged adoption of Senate Bill 6, saying the measure would speed contractor appeals of building inspections and limit costly schedule disruptions.
The sponsor told the panel the bill would add an expedited appeals process to the Ohio Revised Code that requires a local or state board of building appeals to commence an expedited appeal within one day and hold a hearing within five business days; follow‑up hearings requested during an active appeal would also have to occur within five business days. The bill would allow the boards to meet virtually and permit the requesting party to pay additional fees to fund the expedited schedule, with a statutory cap of $500 per day or $1,000 total, the sponsor said. The sponsor noted existing maximum fees were $200 and $100 for the state and local boards respectively.
Why it matters: The sponsor framed the bill as a way to reduce delay costs for contractors and for businesses waiting on completed construction. Supporters said the accelerated process would keep projects "on time and on budget" while preserving safety standards.
Committee members asked whether the bill would apply only to residential projects or to commercial work as well; the sponsor replied the measure covers any project that requires inspection and proceeds through the appeals process. Members also queried whether the Ohio Board of Building Appeals had been consulted; the sponsor said the board worked on earlier versions when the bill was first introduced nearly a decade ago and that this is the fifth time the sponsor has carried the measure.
Stakeholders identified by the sponsor as proponents included ABC of Ohio, the Associated General Contractors (AGC), the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, and several local chapters of the National Electrical Contractors Association; the sponsor said she had not identified formal opponents in the Senate on prior iterations.
No formal committee action on SB 6 was recorded at the meeting. The sponsor answered members' questions and the committee proceeded to the next bill on the agenda.
