HB 2486

H-2652.3
  HOUSE BILL 2486
State of Washington  69th Legislature       2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Engell, Manjarrez, and Barkis
Read first time 01/14/26.   Referred to Committee on Local Government.
1     AN ACT Relating to controlling costs imposed by the state energy
2 code; amending RCW 19.27.060; adding a new section to chapter 19.27A
3 RCW; and creating a new section.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5     NEW SECTION.    Sec. 1.     The median price of a new home in
6 Washington is $700,683, the sixth highest in the nation. At this
7 price, 82 percent of Washington households are unable to afford a new
8 home. In June 2025, Washington ranked as the second worst state in
9 the country to buy a starter home. By 2030, Washington is on track to
10 become the fifth most expensive state for housing, with median home
11 prices topping $900,000.
12     The legislature recognizes that energy efficiency goals have
13 resulted in much higher costs to construct buildings, and has had a
14 negative impact on the cost of all buildings, including housing. The
15 legislature intends the state building code council to be serious
16 about providing more affordable smaller homes. The state building
17 code council is being directed to control cost escalation when
18 updating the state energy code.
19     NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     A new section is added to chapter 19.27A
20 RCW to read as follows:
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1     (1) A code official may approve designs for construction or
2 repairs which do not fully conform with all of the requirements of
3 the state energy code where, in the opinion of the code official,
4 full compliance is physically impossible or economically impractical
5 and the proposed alternative meets safety requirements. Economically
6 impractical includes, but is not limited to, circumstances in which
7 the cost of the requirement far exceeds the ability to recover the
8 additional expense for the improvement through reductions in
9 operational costs or savings from reduced energy usage within 10
10 years.
11     (2)(a) During the 2026 and 2029 code cycles, the state building
12 code council may not impose requirements that would add more to the
13 total cost to build a 1,700 foot or smaller residential building or
14 unit than the cost to build in accordance with the state energy code
15 in effect January 1, 2026.
16     (b) A code official may approve use of a less costly option
17 provided in a prior state energy code if building to the existing
18 state energy code exceeds the cost limitations imposed in this
19 subsection.
20     (3) In circumstances where a project is intended to provide
21 affordable housing residences, a code official may approve project
22 designs that conform to less costly provisions from prior versions of
23 the state energy code.
24     (4) For purposes of this section, "code official" means the
25 officer or designated authority charged with the administration and
26 enforcement of the codes adopted under chapters 19.27 and 19.27A RCW.
27     Sec. 3.   RCW 19.27.060 and 2018 c 302 s 2 are each amended to
28 read as follows:
29     (1) The governing bodies of counties and cities may amend the
30 codes enumerated in RCW 19.27.031 as amended and adopted by the state
31 building code council as they apply within their respective
32 jurisdictions, but the amendments shall not result in a code that is
33 less than the minimum performance standards and objectives contained
34 in the state building code except as provided in subsection (2) of
35 this section.
36     (a) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, no
37 amendment to a code enumerated in RCW 19.27.031 as amended and
38 adopted by the state building code council that affects single-family
39 or multifamily residential buildings shall be effective unless the
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1 amendment is approved by the building code council under RCW
2 19.27.074(1)(b).
3     (b) Any county or city amendment to a code enumerated in RCW
4 19.27.031 which is approved under RCW 19.27.074(1)(b) shall continue
5 to be effective after any action is taken under RCW 19.27.074(1)(a)
6 without necessity of reapproval under RCW 19.27.074(1)(b) unless the
7 amendment is declared null and void by the council at the time any
8 action is taken under RCW 19.27.074(1)(a) because such action in any
9 way altered the impact of the amendment.
10     (2) The legislative body of a county or city, in exercising the
11 authority provided under subsection (1) of this section to amend the
12 code enumerated in RCW 19.27.031(1)(((b))) (a)(ii), may adopt
13 amendments that eliminate any minimum gross floor area requirement
14 for single-family detached dwellings or that provide a minimum gross
15 floor area requirement below the minimum performance standards and
16 objectives contained in the state building code.
17     (3) Except as permitted or provided otherwise under this section,
18 the state building code shall be applicable to all buildings and
19 structures including those owned by the state or by any governmental
20 subdivision or unit of local government.
21     (4) The governing body of each county or city may limit the
22 application of any portion of the state building code to exclude
23 specified classes or types of buildings or structures according to
24 use other than single-family or multifamily residential buildings.
25 However, in no event shall fruits or vegetables of the tree or vine
26 stored in buildings or warehouses constitute combustible stock for
27 the purposes of application of the uniform fire code. A governing
28 body of a county or city may inspect facilities used for temporary
29 storage and processing of agricultural commodities.
30     (5) No provision of the uniform fire code concerning roadways
31 shall be part of the state building code: PROVIDED, That this
32 subsection shall not limit the authority of a county or city to adopt
33 street, road, or access standards.
34     (6) The provisions of the state building code may be preempted by
35 any city or county to the extent that the code provisions relating to
36 the installation or use of sprinklers in jail cells conflict with the
37 secure and humane operation of jails.
38     (7)(a) Effective one year after July 23, 1989, the governing
39 bodies of counties and cities may adopt an ordinance or resolution to
40 exempt from permit requirements certain construction or alteration of
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1 either group R, division 3, or group M, division 1 occupancies, or
2 both, as defined in the uniform building code, 1988 edition, for
3 which the total cost of fair market value of the construction or
4 alteration does not exceed fifteen hundred dollars. The permit
5 exemption shall not otherwise exempt the construction or alteration
6 from the substantive standards of the codes enumerated in RCW
7 19.27.031, as amended and maintained by the state building code
8 council under RCW 19.27.070.
9     (b) Prior to July 23, 1989, the state building code council shall
10 adopt by rule, guidelines exempting from permit requirements certain
11 construction and alteration activities under (a) of this subsection.
12     (8) Actions by a code official in compliance with section 2 of
13 this act are not subject to the provisions of this section.
14     NEW SECTION.    Sec. 4.    If any provision of this act or its
15 application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
16 remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
17 persons or circumstances is not affected.
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