(a) The Legislature finds and declares that a number of serious discrepancies in the interpretation of the structural standards and architectural barrier requirements that apply to school buildings under this chapter, and of the plan review procedures that apply under this chapter, exist within the Department of General Services, and within and between various firms utilized by the department on a contract basis, applicant school districts, and architects and structural engineers utilized by applicant school districts.

(b) The Department of General Services shall provide training, on an ongoing basis, to its employees and to the employees of architectural and structural engineering firms that contract with the department for the purposes of this chapter. The training shall address all phases of the plan review process established under this chapter, and shall be designed to ensure that all individuals who develop and review school building plans obtain sufficient knowledge of the rules, regulations, and standards that apply under this chapter.

Terms Used In California Education Code 17308

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • School building: as used in this article means and includes any building used, or designed to be used, for elementary or secondary school purposes and constructed, reconstructed, altered, or added to, by the state or by any city or city and county, or by any political subdivision, or by any school district of any kind within the state, or by any regional occupational center or program created by or authorized to act by an agreement under joint exercise of power, or by the United States government, or any agency thereof. See California Education Code 17283

(c) The department shall make the training described in subdivision (b) available to the employees of architectural and structural engineering firms that contract with applicant school districts for the purpose of this chapter, and to any other individuals, firms, and government agencies that are involved in school building design, construction, or inspection and that may benefit from the training. The department may charge a fee for training provided pursuant to this subdivision.

(d) The department shall develop and publish interpretations of the structural standards, architectural barrier requirements, and review procedures referred to in subdivision (a) as may be necessary to remedy the interpretational discrepancies described in that subdivision. These interpretational materials shall be updated at least annually.

(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 277, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1997. Operative January 1, 1998.)

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