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A Second Line-up Of Important Bills
The legislative session ended on April 26 with members of the legislature vowing to encourage the Governor to hold a special session. So far a special session has not been called and looks unlikely.
The 2009 Legislative Wrap-Up, in the April 28 edition of the Update, the AIA|WA addressed: Taxes, Sustainable Development, the Budget, Residential Construction Liability, Licensing, and Procurement. In upcoming editions of the e-newsletter these main issues and a few other important topics will be detailed extensively, to give you a deeper understanding of what happened this year.
There were several bills that were passed or attempted this year that, while not impacting architects directly, will affect how Washington firms do business.
Taxes and Fiscal Issues:
- Senate Bill 6173, Construction Resale Certificates, passed. This law changes the resale certificate for sales tax exempt wholesale purchases to a seller’s permit to increase sales tax collection. The construction industry strenuously opposed the bill before it was amended to remove a provision requiring contractors to pay the sales tax prior to receipt of payment from the owner.
Environmental Issues:
- Senate Bill 5560, Regarding State Agency Climate Leadership, passed. This bill states that agencies must reduce emissions by 15% by July 1, 2010; 36% by 2035, and 57% by 2050. The legislation also mandates reporting on the benefits of high performance buildings. Last, according to this law “an entity receiving capital funds must adopt polices to reduce green house emissions.”
- General Administration (GA) reports that they are projecting 15 to 20 projects will be completed by the end of June 2009 that meet LEED standards. GA also reports that they are tracking over 100 projects that would be developed and built to meet LEED standards. However, many of the 100 projects did not receive design or construction funding in the budget and will therefore be delayed.
Regulatory Issues:
- Senate Bill 5148, Changing Washington Vesting Laws, although this bill did not pass it has been introduced for three years in a row and is likely to return next year. This law would have significantly altered land use regulations pertaining to vesting.
Procurement Issues:
- Two bills effecting bid limits passed this year. Both of these bills were part of the legislative package that was an outcome of 2008 Capital Projects Advisory Review Board meetings.
- House Bill 1196, Increasing Small Works Roster Project Dollar Limits, increased the dollar amount from $200,000 to $300,000. The dollar limit where notification is required was increased to $150,000.
- House Bill 1198, Public Works Bid Limits, changes bid limits for projects statewide. Most limits are raised by $20,000 on average. You can see details on the bid limits here (pages 2 and 3).
The AIA|WA will continue to highlight issues of importance in greater detail as the summer progresses. Topics will range from Sustainability to Taxes and everything in between. If there is an issue that you are interested in the details of and would like to see an article about please contact us at Stephanie@aiawa.org.
The 2009 Civic Design Awards Honors Designs that Benefit the Environment and the Community
The AIA Washington Council held it's annual Civic Design Awards (CDA) on Thursday, May 14, 2009 at the ACT Theater in downtown Seattle. Eight awards were handed out to local firms and agencies. Each design was praised for its transparency; this lucidity was especially noted as a grand contribution to schools, where vibrant design can be a tactile encouragement of children's growth.
This exciting focus on sustainable design of schools is leading a nation wide trend. According to a recent article in the New York Times, “school districts across the county are experimenting with new construction and renovations that save energy as well as improve educational facilities.”
The winners of this year’s Civic Design Awards are paving the way for other schools and civic buildings with their use of sustainable construction techniques, natural light and green building materials. The 2009 CDA winners continue to demonstrate how environmental awareness can still function beautifully for a community.
For more information about the winners, and to see pictures of the winning projects please visit our website.
AIA National Office to Close Temporarily
The staff of the AIA national headquarters will be on mandatory furlough and their offices will be closed Monday, June 1, 8:30 a.m. EDT to Monday, June 8.
In the meantime there will be alternative means presented to address questions during the time staff will be unavailable. The AIA National web site will have prominent links to a comprehensive series of frequently asked questions and tutorials. For example, the AIA web site will include a prominent banner with links to information on:
- How to purchase, renew or review technical support topics for AIA Contact Documents
- Questions regarding AIA Membership
- Joining or renewing Membership in the AIA
- How to check Continuing Education transcripts
Additionally, staff will have messages on their email, voice mail, and the main AIA telephone messaging system that can direct those who contact the AIA to the online FAQs and resources. We’re confident that these resources can address a majority of inquiries regarding AIA programs, products, events, and services.
Members of the media will be directed to the AIA pressroom online for a list of knowledgeable sources. Additionally, the public relations agency Peppercom will be handling ongoing media relations. Members of the AIA Board may be contacted by Peppercom in the event that special media inquiries arise.
Similar messages and a link to the AIA Web site will be posted on the AIA social media outlets LinkedIn and Facebook. Also, all listservs managed by the national AIA staff will be available during the furlough period to facilitate communication and sharing.
If you have questions about the furlough and how to find information during that time please contact us at info@aiawa.org. State and local offices will be open for business at this time and can be a resource for any questions you may have.
L&I Begins Campaign to Help Homeowners
The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) is doing its part to help with the problem of residential construction and homeowners that chose to work with unregistered and unqualified contractors. L&I recently published a press release that offers good advice on finding a contractor and explains that the “lowest price isn’t always a good deal.”
The article also announces the new L&I radio campaign that helps homeowners examine who they are hiring and protects consumer from construction fraud. The Department is also beginning an ad campaign that started May 22 and will include radio ads, print ads, and billboards.
The AIA|WA was a strong advocate against the Legislature’s attempts to “fix” the problem of fraudulent construction by creating ill written legislation that would have vastly increased liability for architects and other design professionals. The AIA|WA is in strong support of this alternate means of alerting and educating the public.
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