Section 1: Section 127A of Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the last paragraph the following paragraph:-

At its discretion, any board of health or the department may grant a blanket heating variance relieving all landlords or owners in its jurisdiction from any obligation in the code to provide heat when the board of health or department determines such a variance is warranted by unseasonably warm outdoor temperatures; provided however, that a variance may be granted in advance of unseasonably warm outdoor temperatures based on forecasted weather, as necessary to provide sufficient notice for landlords who may provide air conditioning instead of heat during the variance; provided further, that any such variance shall last no longer than 96 hours; provide however, that multiple consecutive variances may be issued in a row when unseasonably warm temperatures continue. Upon receiving a written request for a heating variance from 10 or more residents, owners or landlords under its jurisdiction, a local board of health shall consider issuing a blanket heating variance and issue a decision within 72 hours.