An Act to create 101.1115 of the statutes; Relating to: requiring periodic inspections of parking structures.
SB155 would create a new statutory section requiring periodic structural inspections of parking structures in Wisconsin. Under the bill, the owner of a parking structure must hire a professional engineer registered in Wisconsin to inspect the structure’s structural integrity at least once within five years after the effective date and at least once every five years thereafter. The inspection is intended to confirm that the structure can still safely support the loads and uses for which it was designed.
The bill also requires the owner to submit the inspection report to the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), or to the local city, village, town, or county if that local government has authority to conduct commercial building plan examinations. Existing inspections performed under other state building code provisions would satisfy the requirement. If an owner fails to obtain the required inspection, the local plan review authority must notify DSPS, and DSPS must then notify the owner of the requirements and penalties.
The bill establishes enforcement measures for noncompliance. Beginning six months after the missed inspection deadline and continuing for six months, the owner would be subject to a forfeiture of $200 per month for each month the inspection has not been completed. If the structure still has not been inspected one year after the deadline, DSPS must close the parking structure until an inspection is completed and the department allows it to reopen. If the structure is later inspected and reopened, DSPS must notify the local plan review authority when applicable.
The bill’s impact would be to add a new statewide inspection and enforcement regime for parking structures, creating ongoing duties for owners and new administrative responsibilities for DSPS and certain local governments. It would effectively amend Wisconsin’s building safety framework by imposing a recurring professional-engineering review of parking structure safety and by authorizing closure of noncompliant structures. The affected parties would include parking structure owners, licensed professional engineers, DSPS, and local building plan review authorities.
There is little recorded committee discussion or voting history in the available materials, so the overall sentiment cannot be measured from debate or roll calls. Based on the bill text, the measure appears safety-focused and preventive, aimed at reducing structural risk in parking facilities. The main point of potential contention is the compliance burden and cost for owners, especially the mandatory inspections, reporting requirements, monthly forfeitures, and the possibility of closure if inspections are not completed on time.
SB155 would create s. 101.1115, adding a new statewide requirement for periodic professional-engineer inspections of parking structures and a reporting and enforcement process administered by DSPS or, in some cases, local plan review authorities. It would impose recurring duties on parking structure owners, authorize monetary forfeitures for delayed compliance, and require DSPS to close a parking structure if the required inspection is not completed within one year after the deadline. The bill would therefore expand Wisconsin’s building safety and inspection laws and affect parking structure owners, engineers, DSPS, and certain local governments.
The available record shows no committee transcript or vote detail, so there is no documented debate to gauge support or opposition. The bill’s design suggests a generally safety-oriented purpose, with the likely public rationale being prevention of structural failures in parking facilities. At the same time, the enforcement provisions indicate that some stakeholders could view the measure as burdensome because it imposes recurring inspection costs, reporting obligations, and the risk of closure for noncompliance.
The main likely point of contention is between public safety and regulatory burden. Supporters would likely emphasize the need for periodic engineering inspections to ensure parking structures remain safe and to prevent failures, while opponents or affected owners may object to the cost of hiring engineers, the administrative reporting requirements, and the strong enforcement mechanism that includes monthly forfeitures and mandatory closure. Another possible issue is the role of DSPS versus local governments in receiving reports and enforcing compliance, though the bill provides a framework for both.