VT H0718

Division of Fire Safety required to adopt a residential building code based on the International Residential Code, effective January 1, 2028, with one new full-time administrator position authorized for FY2027

Residential Contractor Regulation Task Force established with 11 members to improve the contractor registry, create voluntary certifications (including energy code certifications), and submit annual reports through June 30, 2029; $5,500 appropriated for member compensation

Registered contractors must disclose prior criminal convictions, adverse civil judgments, and violations to clients before executing contracts

Municipalities granted explicit authority to administer and enforce both Residential Building Energy Standards (RBES) and Commercial Building Energy Standards (CBES) locally

$400,000 total appropriated from Fuel Efficiency Fund in FY2027: $200,000 for technical support to municipalities enforcing energy standards, and $200,000 for launching a consumer-oriented contractor registry website by December 31, 2027