SBCC executive committee designates four IBC tag seats as ex officio after repeated absences

The Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) executive committee voted March 6 to designate four primary IBC tag seats as ex officio after staff reported the members had been absent for multiple meetings.

Dustin (SBCC staff) told the committee that statute allows a primary seat to be designated ex officio when its member has missed more than three meetings and persistent absences are impairing a tag’s ability to meet quorum. He said the ex officio designation keeps the individual invited to meetings and able to participate if they attend, but their seat would not count toward quorum until reappointment is completed.

"What that would mean for the individuals who haven't been attending is that they are still going to be invited to the meeting, can still participate in the meeting should they show up, but they'll need to establish good membership attendance to be designated nonofficials ex officio," Dustin said.

Committee members pressed for clarity on the reappointment process. Patrick Hanks (Building Industry Association of Washington) referenced "RCW1927033" and asked whether members who returned would automatically regain voting rights or require formal reappointment. Dustin answered that the committee's intent was to bring returning members back to the executive committee or full council for reinstatement rather than automatically restoring voting status.

Roger Haringa, a committee member, supported the measure while emphasizing continued encouragement for participation: "Anybody can really participate as much as they want. But I would just remind them that this doesn't mean you can't participate — it's open public, so anybody can, on a tag."

A committee member moved to designate the four primary slots as ex officio and the committee took a voice vote. The chair called for ayes, heard none opposed and announced the action: the designated positions will be ex officio. The transcript records a voice vote and the chair's announcement; no formal roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

The committee did not identify the individual members by name during the motion; staff had highlighted the primary seats tied to affordable housing, general contractor/developer, manufacturer/supplier and fire protection engineer as those with extended nonattendance. The chair and staff said the change is intended to restore the tag's ability to reach quorum and resume substantive work on legislative-mandated topics for the upcoming code publication cycle.

The executive committee also noted that ex officio members remain welcome to attend and participate, and that full membership and voting privileges can be reinstated through the executive committee or full-council reappointment process.

The meeting moved on to a discussion of proposed bylaws changes and other business.