Joint Corporations Interim Committee Meeting Summary (October 22, 2002)

The Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee met on October 22, 2002 in Casper.  The Committee received testimony on fire and building codes and discussed whether the International Code Council should be adopted by the state.  The Committee heard testimony on the statutory hospital exemption to the State Fire Marshal’s jurisdiction, the effect of the Department of Health’s jurisdiction, and problems that exist with the lack of plan reviews prior to health care facility construction. 

After lengthy testimony on all the various issues related the fire and building codes, the Committee decided that while legislation is needed, questions and issues remain to be resolved.  The Committee voted to sponsor “dark sky legislation.”  The outdoor lighting bill would give the counties and cities the option to regulate outdoor lighting and the tariff bill would require electric utilities to offer tariffs for outdoor lighting apparatus designed to minimize light trespass.  The Committee also voted to sponsor legislation pertaining to special districts and efficient property tax administration.  The bill draft includes enforcement provisions to ensure special districts report boundary changes to the county assessor and the Department of Revenue.  The Committee voted to indefinitely postpone a draft bill that would have permitted rural electric cooperatives to opt for their own retail rate regulation. 

The Committee will meet again at a time and location to be announced to further consider legislation for fire and building codes.  The Committee will also determine whether to sponsor a campaign-finance reporting bill that the committee sponsored last session. 

 (View Minutes)