2005 Rhode Island § 23-27.3-100.1.5.1 — Housing and maintenance code – Powers and duties of the building code standards committee.

    (a) The committee shall have the authority to adopt and promulgate a housing and maintenance code which shall be reasonably consistent with recognized and accepted standards and codes promoted by national model code organizations. The code shall be submitted to the legislature for adoption and amendments as required. Once adopted by the legislature, the law shall not be amended by the cities and towns. The committee shall have the singular authority to submit further amendments to the legislature as required. These new provisions shall replace, and/or amend the existing provisions of the Minimum Housing Standards, chapter 24.2 of title 45, and the Housing, Maintenance and Occupancy Code, chapter 24.3 of title 45. Once adopted by the legislature, the laws shall not be amended by the cities and towns without prior approval of the committee and subsequently the legislature. The state housing and property maintenance code subcommittee shall carry out its responsibilities to the building code standards committee by acting as an entity of the committee in administering the code, by recommending needed code amendments, by promulgating the code, and by serving as the board of standards and appeals for the code.

   (b) The subcommittee shall also have a recording secretary who shall attend all meetings and direct the conduct of any investigation which may be necessary in the preparation of any hearing. The recording secretary shall be a member of the classified service on the staff of the state building commissioner and shall be compensated as appropriate for the expertise required. The administration and appeals procedures pertaining to these laws shall remain in the prerogatives of the local municipalities and the legislature.