Committee reviews H.718 amendments to study residential building code, create contractor task force and add limited appropriations

The House Committee on Environment & Energy on Feb. 18 reviewed draft 1.2 of H.718, a bill that would change how Vermont approaches residential building energy codes and contractor oversight.

The committee heard from Ellen Shankowski of the Office of Legislative Council, who walked members through amendments that add a new finding and replace the earlier directive to adopt a residential building code with a mandated assessment. "Vermont has not adopted a residential building construction code applicable to 1 and 2 unit dwellings," Shankowski said, noting that absence of a code means there is no consistent administrative infrastructure for enforcing energy codes and that lack may limit the state's access to certain federal funding.

The bill language now requires the Director of Fire Safety to complete an assessment and submit recommendations on whether and how the state should adopt a residential building code on or before Jan. 15, 2027, and to report to the House committees on Energy and Digital Infrastructure and on General and Housing, and to the Senate Committee on Economic…