Happy New Year! Perhaps this year we may see a change in the way codes are developed by the International Code Council.
At ICC’s annual meeting, one of the major points of discussion was the voting process. Currently, in order to vote on code changes you have to be a jurisdictional member (inspector) and you have to be present at the code change hearing. There is no proxy voting or remote voting allowed. However, ICC does stream its code hearings on the Internet.
The common theme discussed at the annual meeting was the disenfranchised members that cannot vote. The cost of attending the code hearings is not cheap. As jurisdictions tighten their belts, no money is left to send inspectors to the meeting. Many inspectors have indicated they are paying their own way. Others are present to represent their inspectors association, which pays for the expenses.
One of the biggest questions is, “Who should be voting?” That can be followed up with, “Where should they be voting?”
Over the years, there were discussions of having remote sites where an inspector could go to watch the hearings and vote at the remote site. The thought process was that there would be security with the voting process. That concept has fallen by the wayside. The problem with any remote site is where to locate it and who should monitor it. If an inspector is a six-hour drive from a remote site, that inspector is still disenfranchised.