Updates! 

April 2015

Monthly SGN Newsletter with guest article author, Fred Butters, FAIA

MARCH 2014/LEGISLATIVE DAY UPDATE:

Click here to read the Legislative Day recap!

Click here to read the AESLC focus topics that were discussed with Legislators

Mandatory Continuing Education Rules have gone into effect as of November 1, 2013. To read the new Rules, click here.

HB 4585- Electronic Seal & Signature: passed in the House on September 25, 2013 and will move to the Senate.

These new Mandatory Continuing Education rules for licensing renewal will go into effect starting on the November 1, 2013 licensing cycle.  On that date, architects will need to accumulate 24 HSW hours in that 2 year cycle (Nov 1, 2013 to Oct 31, 2015)

GAC Bill Tracker:

The State of Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is having a meeting February 7 (info here) and Continuing Education Requirements are likely to be discussed. Attendance is encouraged for this meeting and for the Public Hearing (below).

A Public Hearing is scheduled for March 14, 2013 (9am) to discuss Continuing Education Requirements!

For more information, refer to the documents below:

2013 Current Board of Architects Admin Code
2013 Continuing Education: Proposed Rules
2013 Continuing Education Public Hearing Notice and Location  

What’s in the Works:

SB 770 – School Bonds
SB 1038 – Lien Law
HB 4561 – Building Code Cycle
HB 5466 – Indemnification
Electronic Seal & Signature
Single State Fire Code
Continuing Education Rules - Board of Architects

New laws:

PA 162 of 2011 – Statue of Limitations:

After Miller-Davis was published in July 2011, SB 77 proceeded to passage in October 2011.  PA 162 of 2011 will take effect on January 1, 2012, and restores the statutes of limitations as they existed before the Ostroth decision in 2006.  However, SB 77 has no effect on Miller-Davis, so application of the statute of repose remains limited to tort claims, only. Therefore, even with the restoration of the previous periods of limitation, Michigan construction industry participants are nonetheless facing a new liability environment where the period of repose does not afford the protection it once did.

By its terms, PA 162 applies to claims that accrue on or after January 1, 2012.  The below table identifies the periods of limitation and repose that can be expected to apply to claims against Michigan architects, engineers, surveyors and contractors for causes of action arising from improvements to real property that accrue both before and after January 1, 2012.  The periods identified assume no factors that might toll the running of the periods, such as infancy, disability, insanity, war, absence of the defendant from the state or fraudulent concealment.