Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: H0721 – Building Plan Review Timeline Requirements
Bill Summary
House Bill 721 amends Idaho’s building code statutes to establish mandatory 30-day deadlines for initial plan reviews. The bill requires local governments or the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses to complete initial plan reviews within 30 calendar days for both public works projects (as defined in section 67-5710B) and public school building plans. The legislation also removes the previous requirement that school districts must receive plan approval before advertising for construction bids, though plans must still be approved before construction begins. Additionally, the bill makes technical corrections including renumbering subsections, changing “must” and “can” to “shall” for consistency in legal language, and correcting a code reference in section 39-8007 from 39-4113(4)(f) to 39-4113(5)(f) to reflect the new subsection numbering.
Overall Assessment
This bill establishes procedural timelines for government building plan reviews without changing substantive policy. The 30-day review deadline applies to administrative processes for public works and school construction projects, creating a standardized timeframe for plan approval. The removal of the requirement to approve plans before advertising for bids gives school districts slightly more flexibility in their construction procurement timeline, though plans must still be approved before construction commences.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT (0)
The bill establishes administrative deadlines for plan reviews but does not address fiscal policy, taxation, government spending, or constitutional obligations. The 30-day timeline requirement is a procedural change affecting how quickly government agencies process building plans, not a substantive change to government responsibility or accountability.
ARTICLE II. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT (0)
The bill addresses internal government procedures for reviewing building plans. It contains no provisions related to elections, voting processes, citizen participation in government decision-making, or public engagement mechanisms.
ARTICLE III. EDUCATION (0)
While the bill affects the timeline for reviewing public school building plans, it does not address educational policy, curriculum, instruction, parental rights in education, school choice, or funding formulas. The changes are limited to the administrative process for approving school construction plans, not educational programming or governance.
ARTICLE IV. AGRICULTURE (0)
The bill addresses building code plan reviews for public works and schools. It contains no provisions related to agriculture, farming operations, agricultural education, water rights for agriculture, or rural economic policies.
ARTICLE V. WATER (0)
The bill focuses exclusively on building plan review procedures. It does not address water rights, water management, inter-basin transfers, prior appropriation doctrine, or any water-related policies.
ARTICLE VI. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (0)
The bill establishes procedural timelines for building plan reviews without addressing natural resource management, environmental policy, land use planning, wilderness areas, or forest health. The changes are administrative rather than environmental in nature.
ARTICLE VII. ENERGY (0)
The bill addresses building plan review procedures and does not contain provisions related to energy policy, energy production, hydroelectric power, nuclear energy, petroleum, natural gas, or energy independence.
ARTICLE VIII. IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORIES (0)
The bill concerns building plan reviews for public works and schools. It has no connection to Idaho National Laboratory, nuclear research, energy research, or technology development.
ARTICLE IX. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS (0)
The bill addresses government procedures for reviewing plans for public works and public school buildings. It does not affect private property rights, eminent domain, regulatory takings, or restrictions on private property development.
ARTICLE X. STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS (0)
The bill establishes timelines for building plan reviews without addressing state or federal land management, land ownership, or state administration of public lands.
ARTICLE XI. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (0)
The bill addresses building code procedures and contains no provisions related to wildlife management, fish and game, hunting, fishing, or predator control.
ARTICLE XII. ECONOMY (0)
While the 30-day review deadline could theoretically affect construction project timelines, the bill addresses government administrative procedures rather than commerce, industry regulation, small business policy, labor laws, or transportation infrastructure. The changes are procedural requirements for government plan review processes.
ARTICLE XIII. HEALTH AND WELFARE (0)
The bill focuses on building plan review procedures and does not address healthcare, health insurance, patient rights, medical decisions, health savings accounts, or welfare programs.
ARTICLE XIV. AMERICAN FAMILY (0)
The bill addresses administrative procedures for building plan reviews. It contains no provisions related to family values, marriage, parental rights, right to life, abortion, or children's welfare.
ARTICLE XV. OLDER AMERICANS (0)
The bill establishes timelines for building plan reviews without addressing policies affecting older Americans, retirement, healthcare for seniors, or age-related employment issues.
ARTICLE XVI. LAW AND ORDER WITH JUSTICE (0)
The bill addresses building code procedures and does not contain provisions related to criminal justice, gun rights, the death penalty, drug policy, incarceration, juvenile justice, or state sovereignty in law enforcement.
ARTICLE XVII. NATIONAL DEFENSE – SECURING THE BORDER (0)
The bill concerns building plan review procedures for public works and schools. It has no connection to national defense, military policy, veterans' affairs, border security, or the National Guard.
ARTICLE XVIII. ELECTION OF JUDGES AND IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES (0)
The bill addresses building plan review procedures without affecting judicial selection, judicial elections, or constitutional interpretation by courts.
ARTICLE XIX. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (0)
The bill establishes procedural timelines for building plan reviews and contains no provisions related to religious freedom, free exercise of religion, or the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.