Bill > SB5156

This bill directs the State Building Code Council to establish new standards for elevators in apartment buildings with a maximum of six stories and 24 units, allowing for passenger elevators that are minimally sized to meet federal accessibility requirements, which are standards ensuring buildings are usable by people with disabilities. Additionally, the bill mandates the formation of a technical advisory group to review existing requirements for elevator hoistway opening protection and two-way visual emergency communication devices, assessing their cost-effectiveness and safety for smaller apartment buildings, and this group will include representatives from various stakeholders such as fire chiefs, building officials, elevator inspectors, manufacturers, labor, disability rights groups, senior citizen advocates, and developers and architects of small multifamily buildings, with the overall intent to support national and international standards harmonization to improve affordability and minimize cost-increasing modifications to model codes.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5156&Year=2025&Initiative=false