(JUNEAU) - The Alaska House of Representatives unanimously approved House Bill 151 by a vote of 37 to zero on Thursday. Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Meyer (R-Anchorage), HB 151 establishes a formal process for a homeowner to notify a construction professional of construction defects prior to filing a lawsuit, and, establishes a time frame for the construction professional to address the defect.

"All too often homeowners enter costly, time-consuming lawsuits that they and their contractor could have avoided," Meyer said. "This bill provides a set of steps to follow before going to court."

HB 151 requires a homeowner to provide a construction professional with written notice of a defect in either design, construction, or remodeling of a home 90 days before filing action. The professional then has 21 days to respond to the claim. This process gives construction professionals an opportunity to inspect the homeowner's grievance and offer a remedy. From that point, the homeowner can decide to accept the offer or file suit. Meyer said the goal is to prevent easily resolved disputes from clogging the courts.

"Excess litigation has driven up the cost of insurance for construction professionals, and, in turn, driven up the cost of a home," Meyer said. "This bill brings some sensibility back to the construction and remodeling business as it frees our court system for more significant cases."

HB 151 moves to the Senate.

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04-24-03: Rep. Kevin Meyer explains the need for a procedure for homeowners to follow before filing suit against construction professionals for design, construction, or remodeling defects.

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