BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2030
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Date of Hearing: April 18, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 2030 (Olsen) - As Introduced: February 23, 2012
Policy Committee: Business and
Professions Vote: 9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill requires the state Building Standards Commission (BSC)
to adopt building standards for accessibility to press boxes in
stadium bleachers, with specified exemptions.
FISCAL EFFECT
Minor absorbable costs to promulgate and adopt the specified
standards, and potential construction-related savings to schools
and colleges from applying a less stringent accessibility
standard for bleachers that conforms to current federal
requirements.
COMMENTS
1)Background . The BSC is responsible for the administration of
California's State Building Code, including adoption,
approval, publication, and implementation of codes and
standards. The Code is published on a triennial cycle. The
BSC anticipates publishing updates to the current Code on July
1, 2013, with the regulations taking affect 180 days
thereafter.
The U.S. Department of Justice published its revised
regulations, including design standards, to the Americans with
Disability Act of 1990 on September 15, 2010. The standards
require all areas of newly designed and constructed buildings
and facilities and altered portions of existing buildings and
facilities to be accessible. With respect to accessible routes
to press boxes, the standards add the following two
exemptions, which mirror the language in AB 2030: small press
AB 2030
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boxes (maximum 500 square feet) either (a) located in
bleachers with entrances on only one level or (b)
free-standing structures elevated 12 feet or more above grade.
The Division of the State Architect (DSA), within the
Department of General Services, indicates that it is currently
working to update the Code to mirror the federal language.
(Specified state agencies, including DSA, may adopt
regulations for approval by BSC for inclusion in the Code.) If
there are any discrepancies between a California and a federal
accessibility standard, the more stringent requirement must be
followed. The current state building standard does not provide
the same exemptions described above for small press boxes.
2)Purpose . The author's intent is to direct the BSC to adopt
state standards with the federal exemptions, which are
intended to reduce building costs for schools and colleges.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081