Relating to building design element regulation by governmental subdivisions, and including effective date provisions

This bill relates to the regulation of building design elements by governmental subdivisions. The bill defines “national model code”, “residential building”, and “residential building design element”. The bill prohibits a governmental subdivision from adopting or enforcing a rule, charter provision, ordinance, order, building code, or other regulation that governs building design elements by a governmental subdivision in three primary manners. First, a governmental subdivision cannot prohibit or limit, directly or indirectly, the use or installation of a building product or material in the construction, renovation, maintenance, or other alteration of a residential or commercial building or structure if the building product or material is approved for use by a recently published national model code that applies to the construction, renovation, maintenance, or other alteration of the building or structure. Second, a governmental subdivision cannot establish a standard for a building product, material, or aesthetic method in construction, renovation, maintenance, or other alteration of a residential or commercial building or structure if the standard is more stringent than a standard for the product, material, or aesthetic method under a recently published national model code. Third, a governmental subdivision cannot establish a new, or amend an existing, residential building design element requirement unless certain conditions apply to either the building or the requirement. The bill does not prohibit or diminish the rights of private parties to enact regulations as created by valid private covenants or other contractual agreements among property owners relating to residential building design elements including but not limited to restrictive covenants and declarations such as those relating to condominiums or otherwise permitted under Iowa law. The bill takes effect upon enactment.