Last summer we published a story under the headline, "school inspection bill finally makes the grade among state lawmakers."

Before the year was out, it was expected that the lawmakers would finally close a huge loophole in Michigan law that offers no regulation on the construction of school buildings, except for input from the state fire marshal.

Well, 2000 came to a close - and nothing was passed. And the first three months of 2001 have come and gone - same story. "We're still waiting," state Sen. Chris Dingell said last week. He has been a prime backer of the legislation throughout the 1990s. "We're looking for the bill to be re-introduced into the House in the next few months."

The legislation would require inspection of school buildings during the construction process, either by local building departments or by the state if no one is qualified locally. The legislation would also allow limited inspections of schools that have already been built.

In the last legislative session, a re-worked version of the bill was held up in the Senate primarily by Sen. Mike Rogers, who has since gone on to Congress.

Dingell was motivated to get the legislation adopted because of the near collapse of walls at Patrick Henry Middle School in Woodhaven, located in his district. And in 1998, the tragic collapse a block wall at Flushing High School killed four building trades workers.