Description: Following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Florida experienced record-breaking insurance losses resulting in a crisis affecting every homeowner in the state. The Governor appointed a Building Code Study Commission, The Florida Conflict Resolution Consortium, located at Florida State University, designed and facilitated a two-year study and deliberation process with the 28 members representing a range of interests in the public and private sectors, through which the Commission evaluated the building code system.

Dates active: 1992-ongoing

Web-site for project: http://www.dca.state.fl.us/FBC/index.htm

Sub-issue(s): State building construction system

Level(s): State

Initiators: Governor's office

Particular goals: Reform of the state building construction system, placing emphasis on uniformity and accountability

Number of participants/year: The Florida Building Commission is a 23 member Governor appointed stakeholder group

Population of community: Florida population - 15,982,378 (2000 census)

Staffing/funding: Governor-appointed stakeholder group / facilitation by Florida Conflict Resolution Consortium

How meetings were structured: Facilitated Meetings and Public Workshops / The Florida Building Commission (FBC) seeks to develop consensus decisions on its recommendations and policy decisions. The consensus process is conducted as an open public process with multiple opportunities for the public to provide input to the Commission on substantive issues.

Sample outcomes: The Commission recommended reform of the state building construction system that placed emphasis on uniformity and accountability. The Florida legislature enacted the new Florida Building Code and directed the Commission to continue to build consensus on key topics involved in its implementation, including product approvals and other controversial issues.

Benefits: Commission Chair Raul L. Rodriguez, praised the consensus process that has resulted in the code decisions thus far. "I am absolutely in awe of this process. The intent is not to compromise, because one does not compromise on issues of life safety, but to find and reach consensus on the best way to achieve results the people want."

Full story:

• Will appear on PCI's Web site under Case Studies

Organizations that helped with this project: Florida Conflict Resolution Consortium - http://consensus.fsu.edu/

This case contributed by: Policy Consensus Initiative, 2007