James Lee Witt Endorses California Government Reform Effort

International Code Council (ICC) Chief Executive Officer James Lee Witt today applauded the efforts of the Schwarzenegger Administration to launch extensive government reforms.

"Governor Schwarzenegger and his Administration should be applauded for taking on a wide range of very difficult issues with the goal of making government work better for the people of California. I was deeply involved in efforts to achieve significant reforms as Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's "Reinventing Government" initiative, and I know how important it is to challenge 'business as usual' to make important reforms.

"Certainly, the adoption of safe and proven building codes in California is a matter that is central to protection of the health and safety of all Californians. We look forward to working with state and local government officials, building and fire professionals, contractors, architects, engineers, disabled advocates, builders and building managers, and other interested constituencies to help ensure that California can deliver the best building codes to meet its needs."

Among the recommendations of the CPR process related to building codes are the following:

• The Governor and the Legislature should adopt legislation to restructure the process for building codes development;
• Oversight of building codes should be integrated into a single state agency with clear authority and accountability;
• Objective criteria should be set for the development of model building codes that best serve the interests of California; and
• The State and Consumer Services Agency should commission a study of the economic and broader industry impacts that would result from adoption of the NFPA 5000 code, and whether the code recommendation issue should be revisited.

The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council.