Coppell commission votes to recommend adoption of 2026 National Electrical Code

The Coppell Building and Standards Commission voted on Aug. 6 to recommend that City Council adopt the 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC) and staff‑proposed ordinance updates following a staff presentation and questions from commissioners.

"My name is Steve Schubert, the chief building official for the city of Coppell," Schubert said during the work session as he introduced the package and staff who assisted the presentation. Schubert told the commission the proposed adoption aligns local rules with the state enforcement schedule and helps the city on ISO insurance audits, saying, "The higher we rate, the lower insurance rates our residents pay." Commissioners held a public hearing with no members of the public signed up to speak, then moved and seconded a motion to recommend council adoption. The chair called for a vote and the motion passed.

The ordinance changes staff presented include updating all local references from the 2023 code to the 2026 edition and removing a set of obsolete or redundant municipal amendments, Schubert said. He also described consolidations and administrative edits intended to keep routine changes in staff practice rather than requiring ordinance amendments. The commission approved minutes from Feb. 5, 2026, then took the recommendation vote to forward the 2026 NEC and staff recommended amendments to council for final action.