KRS 198B.040: General powers and duties of the department.

The department shall have the following general powers and duties:

(1) To conduct or cause to be conducted studies to determine the needs of the

building industry of Kentucky;

(2) To conduct or cause to be conducted or participate in studies of the costs of

the various factors of building construction and use of buildings and to

recommend programs and procedures which will minimize the cost of buildings,

including the use of energy, while maintaining safety, durability, and comfort;

(3) To administer regulatory legislation relating to buildings and construction;

(4) To assume administrative coordination of the various state construction review

programs and to cooperate with various federal, state, and local agencies in

the programs as they relate to buildings and construction;

(5) To assume administration and coordination of various state housing programs

to include:

(a) Devising and implementing procedures, in conjunction with the

Department for Local Government, for attaining and maintaining an

accurate count of the housing inventory in Kentucky, including information

on the age, physical condition, size, facilities, and amenities of this

housing, and housing constructed and demolished each year;

(b) Designing programs coordinating the elements of housing finance,

production, maintenance, and rehabilitation for the purpose of assuring

the availability of safe, adequate housing in a healthful environment for all

Kentucky citizens;

(c) Establishing or causing to be established public information and

educational programs relating to housing, to include informing Kentucky

citizens about housing and housing related programs that are available on

all levels of government;

(d) Designing and administering, or participating in the design and

administration of educational programs to prepare low income families for

home ownership, and counseling them during their early years as

homeowners;

(e) Promoting educational programs to assist sponsors in the development

and management of low and moderate income housing for sale or rental;

(f) Cooperating with various federal, state, and local agencies in their

programs as they relate to housing; and

(g) Conducting or causing to be conducted studies to determine the housing

preferences of Kentucky citizens and the present and future housing

requirements of the state;

(6) To recommend state building industry policies and goals to the Kentucky

General Assembly;

(7) To adopt and promulgate a mandatory uniform state building code, and parts

thereof, which shall establish standards for the construction of all buildings, as

defined in KRS 198B.010, in the state;

(8) To promulgate administrative regulations providing for the proper construction

of public water purification plants, other than the water treatment equipment

and systems in those plants. Any administrative regulation promulgated under

this subsection shall require that applications for permits to build public water

purification plants be submitted by the department to the Energy and

Environment Cabinet for that cabinet's comments. Any submitted

administrative regulations shall require the Energy and Environment Cabinet's

comments to be completed and returned to the department within sixty (60)

days;

(9) To promulgate administrative regulations providing for the proper construction

of sewage treatment plants, other than the sewage treatment equipment and

systems in such plants. Any administrative regulation promulgated under this

subsection shall require that applications for permits to build public sewage

treatment plants be submitted by the department to the Energy and

Environment Cabinet for that cabinet's comments. Any submitted

administrative regulations shall require the Energy and Environment Cabinet's

comments to be completed and returned to the department within sixty (60)

days; and

(10) To promulgate administrative regulations for the safe installation and operation

of plumbing and plumbing fixtures.