What's in the news...   Congratulations to Clay Easterling
Please join us in congratulating Clay Easterling of Gulfport, on being elected into the Mississippi Housing Hall of Fame. This is the highest honor bestowed on an individual by the Home Builders Association of Mississippi. Throughout his career, Clay has made a significant impact on the Mississippi housing industry through his involvement in his local home builders associations, HBAM and other housing groups. The installation of Clay into the Mississippi Housing Hall of Fame will take place on Saturday evening, June 9th, beginning at 7:00 pm at our annual HBAM State Convention & Educational Conference at Perdido Beach Resort located in Orange Beach, Al.
 Governor Signs Home Builder Licensing Bill and New Home Warranty Act Law
With the help of Senator Chris Massey and Representative Charles Busby, the two priority bills for the Home Builders Association of Mississippi became law when Governor Phil Bryant signed SB 2533 and SB 2223. The bills sponsored by Senator Chris Massey will take effect on July 1, 2012.
Pictured from left to right: Marty Milstead, Senator Chris Massey, Governor Phil Bryant, Representative Charles Busby.
•General Liability Insurance for licensed Residential Contractors and Remodelers
Currently the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) cannot require general liability insurance as criteria for being a licensed residential contractor or remodeler, but that will change under SB 2533. The new law will allow the MSBOC to require general liability insurance for a licensed residential contractor or remodeler.
•New Law on the Two Home Exemption
SB 2533 will help close a loop home used by contractors to avoid getting a license. Under current law, 2 homes a year can be build without the home builder being licensed. This provision in the law has made the licensing law difficult to enforce in those jurisdictions. When the Governor signs SB 2533 any individual or corporation building a home for sale to the public will have to be licensed.
The bill establishes an active and inactive license for builders. Inactive builders could keep their license and not be required to carry insurance.
•New Home Warranty Act Improved
Changes to the New Home Warranty Act establish a clear start date for a warranty. After July 1, 2012 the new law will help clarify the definition of structural damage and when a warranty begins. For the structural portion of the warranty the start date is tied to the completion date instead of when a home is sold. The one year warranty on the entire still begins when the home is sold. SB 2223 also attempts to clarify what determines major structural failure. Legal counsel for HBAM, Steve Smith, communicated to the Legal Action Committee that there were some problems with the current law. The New Home Warranty Act is designed to give the home owner 1 year coverage on the entire home, and 6 years on major structural. The New Home Warranty Act changes should help builders avoid frivolous lawsuits.
 Kids Night Out at the HBAM 2012 State Convention & Educational Conference
Kids ages 5-11 will enjoy an evening packed full of FUN at the 2012 HBAM State Convention & Educational Conference to be held June 8-9, 2012 at Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama. Register your child(ren) to attend this year's Kids Night Out program. An active mix of outside and inside activities to keep the children occupied and entertained. Kids Night Out offers crafts, bounce dodge ball, treasure hunts, lost flip flop adventures, ghost crab hunts and many more fun activities. Your child will have so much fun, he or she will beg to stay longer!
Kids Night Out is available both Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00 to 10:00 pm. Dinner will be provided. Cost is $45 for the 1st child, $40 for each additional child per night. Click here to pay on-line.
Congratulations to the March Membership Madness winners! 
 3rd Annual Build PAC DRAW DOWN for $5,000 to be held at the HBAM State Convention & Educational Conference
This year's state convention will be held at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama, where the 3rd Annual Build PAC DRAW DOWN will take place at 7:00 pm on Friday, June 8, 2012.
Tickets are $100 each and you do not have to be present to win. Tickets can be purchased on-line here or from one of the following Build PAC Board of Directors listed, Randy Bosarge, Kenneth Estes, Woody Bailey, Craig Flanagan, Gene Buckles, Bill McBryde, Uriel Pineda, Steve Reeves, Scott Shoemaker, Greg Smith, Dick Thompson, or Patrick Ward.
For more information contact the HBAM office at 601-969-3446. Click here to purchase tickets on-line.
 www.MyNewHomeMS.com is now ready for Home Builder members to use
This new website is the official home finder website of the Home Builder Association of Mississippi, powered ONLY by Mississippi Home Builder members.
MS Home Builder members can list properties they have built or remodeled on-line for easy access to potential home buyers. This new website provides consumers with comprehensive information about a property for sell from the most reliable builders in the state of Mississippi.
Potential home buyers can search this new website for new and remodeled properties in the state of Mississippi by location, amenities, price, builder name, etc.
For more information visit www.mynewhomems.com or contact HBAM at 601-969-3446 or 1-800-898-4226.
To watch video on MyNewHomeMS.com from HBAM President David Smith, click on the image to the right.
 State legislature is in session! Stay on top of what's going on in the building industry with the Legislative Report prepared by the Home Builders Association of Mississippi.
• Legislative Report #1
• Legislative Report #2
• Legislative Report #3
• Legislative Report #4
• Legislative Report #5
• Legislative Report #6
• Legislative Report #7
• Legislative Report #8
• Legislative Report #9
• Legislative Report #10
• Legislative Report #11
• Legislative Report #12
• Legislative Report #13
• Legislative Report #14
• Legislative Report #15
• Legislative Report #17
 OSHA to begin enforcing Residential Construction Fall Protection
As of June 16, 2011, residential construction employers must comply with the new fall protection methods. Last December, OSHA rescinded an old policy directive that allowed residential construction employers to follow alternative fall protection methods, instead of using conventional fall protection, like safety nets, personal fall arrest or guardrail systems. As of June 16, 2011, residential construction employers must comply with 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13). Click here to download the OSHA Fall Protection in Residential Construction Guidance Document. Between 2005 and 2009, nearly three (3) workers, on average, dies everyday in a construction related incident. At least one of those deaths was from a fall. Almost every week during that same period, one or more employees fell to their death on a residential construction project. And, nearly, every month, a worker employed in a residential construction job died as a result of a fall from a roof. These falls could have been prevented.
 OSHA reinforces their Nail Gun Safety program for residential home buildersNail guns are used every day on many construction jobs, especially in residential construction. They boost productivity but also cause tens of thousands of painful injuries each year. Nail gun injuries are common, one study found that 2 out of 5 residential carpenter apprentices experienced a nail gun injury over a four-year period. When they do occur, these injuries are often not reported or given any medical treatment.
OSHA has provided guidance for residential home builders and construction contractors, subcontractors, and supervisors with a new Nail Gun Safety Guide. Click here to download the OSHA Nail Gun Safety Guide for Construction Contractors. | 
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