Building Codes and Pre-Disaster Mitigation in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018

Early this morning the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, and the President signed it. Included in this bill is the Federal Cost Share Reform Incentive, a provision that encourages states to adopt the latest building codes, incentivizes states to invest in the resiliency of their communities, and includes additional disaster relief funds of nearly $90 billion.

In partnership with the BuildStrong Coalition, the International Code Council has worked with members of Congress and their staff to highlight the importance of pre-disaster mitigation and adopting the latest building codes. This provision is the result of months of tireless efforts from our staff, members and partners. It is a significant victory for the tax-paying public as it will help reduce the burden of growing financial losses on the federal government and the states due to the increased frequency of natural disasters.

The Federal Cost Share Reform Incentive allows post-disaster federal cost-share with states to increase from 75 percent to as high as 85 percent on a sliding scale based on a number of factors including the adoption and enforcement of the latest building codes; the adoption of a mitigation plan; and investments in disaster relief, insurance and emergency management programs. To read the full bill, click here.

The recent devastating hurricane season and tragic wildfires in California highlight the importance of the work you do on a daily basis. The Code Council will continue to work on the federal, state and local levels in conjunction with our members to ensure that our communities have the highest level of safety in the industrial world through modern, cost-effective building codes.

This May is the 38^th annual Building Safety Month, a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of regularly updated, efficient building codes and the officials who maintain them. Get involved today! Download resources, such as posters, a sample proclamation, news and events templates, and safety tips handouts, from our online store. Visit www.buildingsafetymonth.org for more information.