Chair – Tim Woodard, CBO, ACO – City of Mount Vernon

MISSION

To advise and inform the association’s members and promote their collective views with regard to legislation and regulation matters.

OVERVIEW

Government Relations is a committee of the Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO) tasked with managing and maintaining the organization’s relationships with government entities, industry stakeholders and elected officials.  The Government Relations Committee plays a crucial role in advocating for the interest of the code officials within the state of Washington.

WORK PLAN

• Review legislative issues of concern to building code enforcement personnel and work with WABO lobbyist on WABO legislative issues
• Develop recommended positions on legislative issues
• Review strategy pertaining to legislative issues
• Maintain timely communications with the executive board and members on legislative issues developments
• Assist the president and lobbyist with coordination of collaborative legislative efforts with other organizations
• Assist the president to provide association representation pertaining to legislative matters, as determined appropriate
• Investigate establishment of a topical index of ROW provisions related to building code enforcement (regulatory-related)
• Review regulatory issues of concert to building code enforcement personnel
• Review strategy pertaining to regulatory issues
• Maintain timely communications with the executive board and members on legislative and regulatory issues developments
• Assist the president with coordination of collaborative regulatory efforts with other organizations
• Assist the president to provide association representation pertaining to regulatory matters, as determined appropriate
• Investigate establishment of a topical index of WAC provisions related to building code enforcement

WHY YOU SHOULD VOLUNTEER WITH THIS COMMITTEE

The WABO Government Relations Committee was created to review all proposed legislative bill language before the Washington State Legislature that could have potential effects of WABO members, the organization, and other legislation with points of interest to WABO. The committee works on yearly legislative positions for the membership, legislative positions as directed by Executive Board, and on other proposals. Members are sometimes asked to testify at the legislature, provide expert opinions to the committee, and work with the WABO lobbyist. The work of the committee is valuable to the interests of WABO and the membership. Members who participate have a greater understanding of how legislation effects their profession, daily functions, and the WABO organization. “It is exciting, and gives you a feeling of accomplishment, to work on a piece of legislation that could go through legislative processes to become a bill and then possibly become law” says Government Relations committee member David Spencer.

JOIN TODAY