Fayette state Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Tyrone, has introduced a series of bills aimed at speeding up the inspection process for builders.

Westmoreland, a builder himself, said construction projects often are delayed because overburdened city and county inspectors take several days to get around to doing inspections.

The solution, he said, is to allow builders the option of using private inspectors if they feel the need for speed. "It's really a relief valve for some of these counties that can't get to them all," he said.

House Bill 151, introduced by Westmoreland, would allow cities and counties to develop lists of pre-qualified licensed professional engineers that builders would have the option of choosing from if a city or county inspector is more than two days late conducting an inspection.

The builder would still have to pay the customary inspection fee to the government involved, and would have to pay the private inspector, said Westmoreland. And the private inspector would have to submit a report to the government, which could then accept the findings or reject them.

The bill is not, as some have suggested, an attempt to make inspections easier for builders, Westmoreland said. Private inspectors would be pre-qualified by the city or county and could not have any financial interest in the company being inspected, he said.

"In some of these counties where growth is just overwhelming, it can take two to three weeks to get an inspection," said Westmoreland. That can hold up construction for even longer, he said, because the weather might be good when the inspection is requested, but turn bad before it's done.

"The guy doesn't want to pay double, but if it's at a critical stage, it might be worth it," he said.

He said he is hoping HB151 and a companion bill, HB150, will go to full committee today. HB150 would require cities and counties to notify builders of any local amendments to standard building codes, and to note the exact code section violated if an inspection reveals a problem. "It allows the homeowner or builder to know specifically what is wrong," he said.

Westmoreland also is offering HB154, which requires that builders charging $10,000 or more for a construction or repair job on a home must be licensed as residential contractors.

Building isn't the only thing on Westmoreland's mind during the 1999 legislative session, though. He also has cosponsored HB268, which would extend the authority of juvenile courts to children up to age 18. Under current law, that authority ends at age 17, creating a problem for many parents, Westmoreland said.

"When they turn 17, they leave home, and the parents can't do anything about it even though they are still responsible for them," he said.

"This would give some of these families an option to save their families, to get some type of treatment help or counseling," he added.

Extending their authority might cost juvenile courts some money, Westmoreland admitted, adding that supporters are working to put money in the state budget to cover the additional costs.

The bill has gone through subcommittee and supporters are working to get it considered in full committee.

Westmoreland also is a sponsor of the Natural Gas Marketing Act, which prohibits Atlanta Natural Gas Company from charging customers for so-called "stranded" costs, those associated with making gas available that customers end up not using because of warmer than expected winter weather.