Members of the State Building Code Councild IBC technical advisory group (TAG) met Oct. 9, 2025, to begin defining the scope of rules the council will adopt under Senate Bill 5553 for temporary emergency shelters. Staff and TAG members discussed whether the councils rulemaking should address conversions of existing buildings, stand-alone temporary structures such as tents and pallet shelters, and how local jurisdictions should be allowed to provide relief from normal code requirements.

The question matters because SB 5553 directs the council to adopt standards so local jurisdictions can provide code relief for temporary emergency shelters. TAG staff said the council earlier set a May 2026 date for final adoption of the 2024 code body, and identified SB 5553 as a legislative item that must be addressed during the 2024-code rulemaking cycle. TAG members said clarifying legislative intent and collecting stakeholder input will be a priority before drafting prescriptive language.

TAG staff summarized the statutory background and attendees raised multiple scope questions: whether "temporary emergency shelter" includes portable/pallet shelters and tent encampments as well as conversions of permanent buildings; whether the rules should be an adoptable appendix for local jurisdictions or a statewide mandatory standard; and what forms of "relief" are permissible (for example, exemptions from sprinkler or energy-code requirements in exchange for mitigation). Several members stressed definitions for "temporary," "emergency," "shelter," and "relief" must be resolved to avoid inconsistent local interpretations.

Jurisdictional experience and providers will inform the TAG's work. Members urged outreach to cities and providers that already use emergency-shelter approaches, and to the bill sponsors for legislative intent. One member noted local examples such as short-term cold-weather shelters and pandemic-era temporary facilities, and another advised inviting providers of pallet or modular shelters to explain technical constraints (foundations, energy, sanitation). Attendees suggested surveying jurisdictions to learn what policies or code amendments they already have in place.

TAG members also identified specific technical concerns that any rule or appendix should address: change-of-occupancy processes when an office or assembly space is used for sleeping, sprinkler and fire-alarm requirements and possible mitigations, classification of day-use vs. sleeping occupancy, sanitary facilities and food preparation, and how temporary structures are reviewed by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries or other state agencies.

The TAG did not take formal rulemaking votes at this meeting and was short of quorum. Members agreed to pursue three near-term tasks: (1) invite the primary bill sponsors and other legislative contacts to clarify intent; (2) gather jurisdictional examples and stakeholder input (including providers of pallet shelters and cities with existing local rules); and (3) open a public proposal window so outside parties can submit draft language and evidence for consideration. Staff (Dustin) said he would coordinate outreach and post topic summaries and materials on the IBC tag page.

Next steps discussed include scheduling focused sessions to collect stakeholder testimony, developing a topic-tracking page with revision history and references, and deciding whether the council will propose an appendix that local jurisdictions can adopt or a statewide standard. TAG members emphasized that the group first needs a narrower scope statement before drafting prescriptive code language.