[Upbeat music] 

(Narrator) 
Over the past 50 years, Oregon's population has more than doubled from about 2.2 million

individuals to over 4.4 million residents. Our growing state has always looked for ways to make sure that its citizens had safe places to live, work, and play. Yet, before 1973, builders and developers in Oregon faced a confusing maze of building code regulations that varied by city and county, driving up costs, and creating uncertainty for everyone. In partnership with trade organizations, the Oregon Legislature enacted a uniform statewide building code 
with Senate Bill 73, that was signed into law by Governor Tom McCall on July 22, 1973. The bill established uniform standards for all residential and commercial construction in Oregon, prohibiting local governments from enacting conflicting regulations. 

(BCD Administrator Alana Cox)
It's appropriate that the Building Codes Division

is now part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services and that my boss is the insurance commissioner because the impetus for the building code really came out of insurance. 
The standards were driven by insurance requirements, and as you can imagine, that was a pretty patchwork approach. There were different insurance companies with different requirements that led to local governments adopting their own standards which was also a patchwork and so contractors were having a hard time, especially as Oregon was really growing. And so, they really came together and they said we want to be regulated and you don't hear that from industries very often. They wanted that consistent

regulation and that led to the creation of the statewide building code. The forethought of those leaders in the 70s was really important, but more important than that were the people who carried it out over the decades that followed, including members of those industries that said regulate us. And then they said here's how we would best be regulated so that we can deliver for customers,

and you can deliver for us, and that's our board system. That constant collaboration we have with our industry partners to make sure that we're acting appropriately as good stewards of the public dollar, good regulators, and promoting safety, which is something we all care about. (Narrator)
The Building Codes Division offers multiple services to the business community and local building 

departments to achieve the goal of providing a uniform statewide set of regulations affecting

the construction industry.  From dispute resolution to statewide code interpretation and ePermitting,

among other services, the division administers the statewide code to provide builders with 

predictability. Moving forward, the division will continue to focus on customer service to create more consistency in the application of code requirements and permitting processes across local programs. 

(DCBS Deputy Director Sean O'Day)
One of the reasons Oregon's building code program has been so successful is because it provides the construction industry with predictability, while remaining adaptable, to meet the needs of Oregonians. That success would not be possible without the partnerships we have with local governments who enforce the code and our seven advisory boards who help maintain the code to keep it current. For 50 years, this partnership has provided Oregonians with buildings in which to live, work, and play at affordable prices and in a safe environment. 

(Narrator)
By collecting and organizing relevant construction data for customers, 

promoting the use of technology, and expanded training options, 

the division can promote efficiency, reduce costs, and help the industry respond to changing market realities.

The division will strengthen its training resources, building strong partnerships

with industry groups to develop a highly educated and efficient workforce.

Prudent administration of the state building code will continue to help Oregon grow and prosper over the next 50 years.

(DCBS Director Andrew Stolfi)
As Oregon did with the Bottle Bill and the Beach Bill, our innovative, uniform statewide building code sets the standard for how a state can partner with stakeholders to create lasting reform.

(Alana Cox)
It's an exciting time to be at building codes at the 50th anniversary, and I think it's a great time in the history of our organization, because the only constant has been change. There's been a lot of

change, but through it all, we've been having some big accomplishments and our reputation precedes us, and that's something I'm really proud of. Our reputation within state government and at our 50th anniversary, I feel like we can be proud that those folks that created the building code 50 years ago, I think this is what they intended. That they would have an organization like this that would be providing that consistency, and predictability, and safety for consumers.