Construction: permits; deadline to issue a certificate of acceptability for a premanufactured unit; provide. Amends sec. 19 of 1972 PA 230 (MCL 125.1519).
HB 5716 amends Michigan’s Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act to speed up and clarify the process for approving premanufactured units, such as modular housing, for use in the state. The bill requires the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (or the relevant state department administering the code) to establish a procedure for issuing a certificate of acceptability at the manufacturing site, based on submitted plans, specifications, and, when requested, test results or other relevant information. It also allows certain plans to be reviewed by an independent entity approved by the commission, and it sets a 30-day deadline for the department to approve or deny an application; if the department misses that deadline, the application is deemed approved.
The bill also preserves inspection and local permitting authority, but narrows and standardizes how those powers are used. The department or an approved qualified person must inspect units for compliance with submitted plans, local enforcing agencies may inspect units at the factory and report deviations, and building permits must be issued when the rest of the application complies with applicable codes, zoning, and ordinances. At installation, the unit is subject only to nondestructive tests needed to confirm it was not damaged in transit and was installed properly, and permit and inspection fees must be reasonably related to the agency’s actual costs. The bill also sets a process for local objections, requiring written objections within 10 business days, a hearing before the commission within 10 business days, and a decision within 3 business days after the hearing.
The bill’s main impact is on state construction-code administration and the permitting of factory-built housing and other premanufactured units. It would create a faster, more predictable approval timeline for manufacturers and applicants, limit delay in local permitting when a unit already has a certificate of acceptability, and formalize the role of independent plan reviewers and inspectors. It also restricts the use of the certificate for advertising purposes and provides a variance mechanism when strict compliance would create an exceptional practical difficulty, including long-distance out-of-state inspection arrangements.
Overall sentiment appears neutral to favorable toward streamlining the approval process and reducing administrative delay, based on the bill’s structure and stated purpose. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition from legislators or stakeholders in the available materials. The bill’s design suggests an emphasis on efficiency and uniformity rather than major policy expansion.
The likely points of contention are the 30-day deemed-approval provision, the extent to which independent entities may review plans and conduct inspections, and the limits placed on local enforcing agencies’ discretion to object to a unit already certified by the state. Manufacturers and proponents of modular construction would likely favor the bill’s faster timelines and clearer standards, while local building officials or code enforcement agencies may be concerned about reduced review time, constrained local control, and the possibility that state approval could override local hesitation.
HB 5716 would amend MCL 125.1519 in the state construction code to establish a more time-bound certification process for premanufactured units, including a 30-day deadline for state action and a deemed-approval mechanism if the deadline is missed. It would also formalize independent plan review, inspection procedures, local inspection authority, permit issuance requirements, fee standards, and a rapid objection-and-hearing process, thereby affecting manufacturers, local enforcing agencies, and applicants seeking permits for modular or factory-built units.
The available record shows no committee testimony or roll-call votes, so there is no documented partisan or stakeholder debate in the provided materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears generally favorable toward faster approvals and reduced regulatory delay, suggesting a pro-development and pro-manufacturing orientation. Any opposition would likely center on concerns about local control, inspection rigor, and the automatic approval deadline.
The most notable points of contention are likely the deemed-approved rule after 30 days, the use of independent entities for plan review and inspection, and the limited window for local enforcing agencies to object to a certificate of acceptability. Local code officials may view these provisions as constraining their oversight, while manufacturers and housing advocates would likely support them as necessary to reduce delays and improve predictability for premanufactured housing and other factory-built construction.