Notice of Development of Rulemaking

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
Division of Housing and Community Development
RULE NO: RULE TITLE
9B-70: FLORIDA BUILDING COMMISSION - BUILDING CODE TRAINING PROGRAM
9B-70.002: Commission Approval and Accreditation of Advanced Building Code Training Courses
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To review the provisions of these rules in light of the past two years experience and implement changes beneficial to the program.
SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: Building Code Education.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 553.841(2), 553.841 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 553.841(2), 553.841 FS.
A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATE AND TIME: October 11, 2006, 8:30 a.m. or as soon thereafter as this matter is brought before the Commission pursuant to its agenda
PLACE: Embassy Suites Hotel, 3705 Spectrum Blvd., Tampa, Florida 33612
Any person requiring special accommodations at the hearing because of a disability or physical impairment should contact Ila Jones, Community Program Administrator, Department of Community Affairs, 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Sadowski Building, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100, (850)487-1824, at least seven days before the date of the workshop. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Department of Community Affairs using the Florida Dual Party Relay System, which can be reached at 1(800)955-8770 (voice) or 1(800)955-9771 (TDD).
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT, IF AVAILABLE, IS: Ila Jones, Community Program Administrator, Department of Community Affairs, 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Sadowski Building, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100, (850)487-1824

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT IS:

9B-70.002 Commission Approval and Accreditation of Advanced Building Code Training Courses.

(1) No change.

(2) Accreditor Review of Courses. Accreditors shall review instructor-led courses submitted by course developers and providers approved by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. If an accreditor is also a course developer or provider approved by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation with accredited courses, the accreditor shall not review courses submitted by the person or entity that reviewed the accreditor’s course or courses for accreditation. The accreditor shall to determine if the course meets contains the following minimum criteria:

(a) Course Title/Number (Advanced should be in title); Goals and measurable objectives;

(b) Hours of Credit; Topical outline of the course components in order of presentation;

(c) Provider Information (Name, Address, Telephone Number, E-mail address) (no bio); Teaching methods can include one or more, but not limited to: exercises, quizzes, discussion groups, reading assignments, projects, simulations, and presentations; and

(d) Course Description (appropriate for course). This course is designed to __________; Teaching resources and course references cited in the course materials.

(e) Course/Learning Objectives; Course materials accurately reflect the Florida Building Code and other topics under the jurisdiction of the Florida Building Commission.

(f) Course Time (Time allotments for course content);

(g) Course Outline/Instructional Methods….detailed description of course content in sequence of how taught and methods used to teach that content. The following Instructional methods may be used, but not limited to: exercises, quizzes, discussion groups, reading assignments, projects, simulations, and presentations;

(h) Code edition;

(i) Course references cited in the outline;

(j) Course Evaluations;

(k) A minimum of 50% of the actual training materials content shall be code related.

(l) Course materials accurately reflect the Florida Building Code and other topics under the jurisdiction of the Florida Building Commission.

(3) Course Accreditation by the Florida Building Commission. Accredited Courses are to effectively and accurately address the technical and administrative responsibilities in the effective execution of the Florida Building Code. In the event the Commission identifies areas or topics of advanced Building Code education with an insufficient number of courses available through existing resources, the Commission shall report the areas or topics to the appropriate licensing board. If additional courses do not become available within six months of notification to the licensing board, upon a finding that the absence of course work in the identified subject area is detrimental to the effective administration and enforcement of the Florida Building Code, and funds are available in the Commission’s budget for course development, the Commission will develop a minimum of one (1) course that will be made available to training providers.

(a) through (d) No change.

(e) The Building Code Information System shall assign an accreditation number to the application upon submittal and the application shall be scheduled for review by the Florida Building Commission. The application shall be reviewed accredited completely and placed in the “Pending FBC Action” file on the Building Code Information System at www.floridabuilding.org no later than 23 calendar days prior to the next and action taken on the accreditation and approval of the materials at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Florida Building Commission which occurs more than 30 days from the date the accreditation number is assigned.

(f) Providers shall have 60 calendar days from the date of the code adoption to update existing accredited courses that are affected by the code changes and submit for reaccreditation. Existing courses may continue to be delivered during the 60 calendar day period. The code version that initiated the update and reaccreditation process must be noted on the application. Accreditation of revisions to accredited courses shall be accomplished in the same manner as described in paragraphs (a) through (d) hereof, except that only the revision submitted shall be subject to review.

Specific Authority 553.841(2) FS. Law Implemented 553.841 FS. History–New 6-8-05, Amended ________.