As we enter 2018, there is much to celebrate for both the past and new year. AIA Pennsylvania has a new and very capable Director of Legislative Affairs, Amal Mahrouki, backed by Meghan Baird and Olivia Perry under Steve Swarney’s leadership. And our Committee’s new Vision Statement and Action Plan will better serve our Education, Committee on the Environment, Legal Affairs, P3s, Codes and Licensure subcommittees.
AIA PA strives to be the voice of the construction industry, as the majority of our industry’s laws are created at the state level, and we have achieved legislative wins in 2017. Act 36 allows for our industry to move beyond the 2009 Uniform Construction Code. The UCC Review and Advisory Council is currently beginning a review of the 2015 UCC for adoption, which we intend to support. Act 40 closes the Pennsylvania borders to renewable energy generation within the 13-state PJM territory, which will bolster our own renewable energy capacity.
We helped organize the Quad States conference in New York and this year intend to host quarterly information events. This year we seek to push for mandatory continuing education, continue to defend intrusion on the profession, push for CPACE legislation, advocate building efficiency and restore Plancon funding for K-12 schools.
Let us know if you like what you see and would like to lend your talents and interest to these committees. Please also consider donating to our Political Action Committee; our PAC hosted two successful events in 2017 educating legislators about our concerns.
Marc Mondor, AIA, LEED Fellow
Principal, evolveEA
Chair, AIA PA Government Affairs Committee