AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE (Establishes a moratorium on changes to the state energy conservation code from the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code until January 1, 2031, unless approved by the legislature and made effective by the governor.)

S3032

2026 -- S 3032
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LC006059
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE

Introduced By:
Senators Tikoian, Ciccone, Gallo, and Rogers

Date Introduced:
March 05, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Housing & Municipal Government
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 23-27.3-100.1.5.4 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled
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"State Building Code" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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23-27.3-100.1.5.4. State energy conservation code.
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(a) The state building code standards committee (“committee”) shall adopt an energy
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conservation code that shall be based on appropriate nationally and internationally recognized
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models, and shall promulgate and administer the energy conservation code. The energy
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conservation code shall contain provisions pertaining to, but not limited to, the construction of
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buildings, the use of renewable energy resources in buildings, the efficient use of energy within
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buildings, and the orientation of buildings on their sites. The state energy conservation code shall
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at a minimum:
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(1) For residential or commercial buildings, meet or exceed the most recently published
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International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), or achieve equivalent or greater energy savings.
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The state building code standards committee shall revise the state energy conservation code to
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comply with this requirement within one year of any update to the International Energy
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Conservation Code; provided, however, that the 2021 IECC published by the International Code
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Council shall not be adopted and the 2024 IECC published by the International Code Council shall
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be adopted within (3) three months of its release
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; and further, provided, that a moratorium on
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changes to the state energy conservation code from the 2024 IECC shall be in effect until January
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1, 2031, during which period the state building code standards committee shall not adopt, and the

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state building office shall not enforce, any changes to the state energy conservation code that
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deviate from the 2024 IECC, unless otherwise approved by the general assembly and made
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effective by the governor.
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(2) Within one year of the release of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code, the
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state building code standards committee shall revise the state energy conservation code to meet or
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exceed the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code’s electric readiness provisions.
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(b) No later than six (6) months after the adoption of the building code(s) described in
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subsection (a) of this section, the state building code standards committee shall develop a plan to
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achieve compliance with the building code(s) described in subsection (a) of this section in at least
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ninety percent (90%) of new and renovated residential and commercial building space in the state.
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Such plan shall include active training and enforcement programs and measurement of the rate of
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compliance each year.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE
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This act would establish a moratorium on changes to the state energy conservation code
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from the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code until January 1, 2031, unless approved by
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the legislature and made effective by the governor.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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