Issues & AdvocacyState

Welcome to this week’s edition of Close Relations. Thanks to AIA Consultant Zachary Hart for his help with this and other recent editions of Close Relations.

• As the Texas Legislative Session nears its end, the Texas Society of Architects (TSA) is pursuing the passage of several pieces of legislation; topics of interest include energy-efficiency tax credits, tort reform, project delivery, and a long-sought compromise on Architect-Engineer overlap. Read more from Yvonne Castillo here. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact TSA General Counsel Yvonne Castillo at ycastillo@texasarchitect.org.
• AIA Nebraska supported LB 283, which the Legislature passed but Governor Dave Heineman vetoed; the bill would have allowed school districts to use qualified capital purpose bonds and qualified zone academy bonds to finance energy efficiency projects. A motion to make LB 283 a law notwithstanding the Governor’s veto has been filed. FOR MORE INFORMATION: click here or contact AIANE Executive Sara Kay at skay2@unl.edu.
• In Florida, the Senate voted down legislation that would have deregulated interior designers. CS/HB 5005 failed by a vote of 32-6 in the Senate after passing in the House. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the AIAFLA Legislative page, or contact Executive Vice President Vicki Long at vlong@aiafla.org.

• On May 7, in response to the devastating tornados that cut through the state on April 27, AIA Alabama trained a team of 162 architects, engineers, building inspectors, and fire marshals to perform building safety assessments. The team, which began its work statewide on Monday, will determine whether structures affected by the storm are fit for permanent or temporary occupancy.
• The International Code Council (ICC) selected three State legislators to receive the Elected Official of the Year Award, which honors public officials who have made important contributions to building safety.  The winners were South Carolina Senator Phil P. Leventis, New Mexico Senator Bernadette M. Sanchez, and New Jersey Assemblyman John S. Wiesniewski.

• The AIA Trust has released a new white paper on the rapidly changing standard of care in architecture.  “A Sustainable Standard of Care?” discusses the challenges architects face as they grapple with pressure to deliver projects faster, cheaper, and more sustainably which often requires the use of technologies and processes that may be unfamiliar to them, thus causing them to face greater liability risk.

• SGN Advisory Panels: No Panels met this week because of Convention. Next week, the Taxes, Tort/Liability, Project Delivery, and Stock School Plans Panels will meet. Relevant documents for each Panel will be posted to Sharepoint: Click here, then “SGN Advisory Panels.” Contact Chris Merriam if you’re interested in joining one of the Panels.
• SGN Listserv threads: The only SGN Listserv thread this week was called “Rules for firm ownership by state”, in which we asked SGN members which states authorize non-design professionals to participate in firm ownership. We need an answer for every state by COB Wednesday, May 18, so please look at the file on Sharepoint and update your state’s entry if it is not already done. Using Internet Explorer, click here, then SGN Advisory Panels > Licensure Advisory Panel. Then go to “Firm Ownership Allowed by state,” click the drop-down menu and select “Edit in Microsoft Office Excel.” Then make your edits and save the document.
• All SGN Listserv threads are archived on Sharepoint; click here, then “SGN Listserv Threads.”

• The next SGN Open Call will take place on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 3:30-4:30 p.m. (EDT) (GMT-04:00). Brooks Rainwater, Director of Local Relations, will give a recap of the Citizen Architect Sessions that he will lead at the upcoming AIA National Convention in New Orleans.
  
  Call-in number: 866-699-3239
  Event number: 664 046 866
  Event password: Welcome11
  Event address for attendees:
  https://aiaevents.webex.com/aiaevents/onstage/g.php?d=664046866&t=a
• Audio and relevant documents from every SGN Open Call are archived on Sharepoint; click here, then SGN Open Calls, then the folder for the call you wish to access.

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Click here for past editions of Close Relations.

Connect with AIA’s State Affairs team:

• Angie Taylor (Director, State Relations): 202.626.7543 or angietaylor@aia.org
• Chris Merriam (Manager, State Issues and Programs): 202.626.7417 or chrismerriam@aia.org
• State Relations Website: http://www.aia.org/advocacy/state/index.htm
• Twitter: @AIA_StRelations