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Committee backs bill to expand pool of building inspectors by relaxing recency rules
Summary
House Bill 4894 would prevent the authority from disqualifying otherwise qualified building-inspector applicants whose qualifying experience is not recent, allowing experience to remain valid for five years; industry groups supported the measure as a workforce solution.
Representative Robinson told the committee House Bill 4894 is a narrowly focused fix to address a shortage of building inspectors by preventing the licensing authority from imposing a recency requirement that disqualifies otherwise acceptable experience. The bill preserves the underlying experience requirements but changes how that experience is treated over time.
A witness representing Michigan's residential construction industry testified in support, saying the change would expand the pool of qualified candidates (project managers, superintendents and others with longstanding experience) without lowering substantive qualifications. The witness warned that inspection delays can create project bottlenecks and increase housing costs.
Committee members confirmed the bill does not alter what counts as qualifying experience and asked whether the change would meaningfully ease staffing shortages. Supporters said it should attract retirees and experienced professionals back into inspection roles.
What happens next: Supporters recommended the committee advance the bill to help reduce inspection delays that can slow housing delivery; the committee took no final vote during the hearing.
