HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1543        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2058

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Shawn Dooley

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to combustible gas detectors.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1543        FILED ON: 1/16/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2058

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1252 OF 2017-2018.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act relative to combustible gas detectors.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 26F of Chapter 148 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by adding the following section:

(a) Every dwelling, building, or structure, including those owned or operated by the commonwealth, occupied in whole or in part for residential purposes, that: (1) contains combustible gas (including, but not limited to, propane and natural gas) burning equipment including, but not limited to, a furnace, boiler, water heater, fireplace or any other apparatus, appliance, or device that burns combustible gas shall be equipped by the owner with working, approved combustible gas detection alarms in conformance with the requirements of the board of fire prevention regulations; provided, however, that such requirements shall include, but not be limited to, a requirement that a landlord or superintendent shall install either approved monitored battery-powered alarms or approved electrical wiring alarms as defined by the board, as are required to make the alarms operational at the beginning of any rental period by lease or otherwise and shall maintain and, if necessary, replace batteries or such battery-operated or electric hardwired carbon monoxide alarms annually thereafter to insure their continued operability.

(b) The board of fire prevention regulations shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to effectuate this section including, but not limited to, the type, installation, location, maintenance and inspection requirements of combustible gas alarms.

(c) Every dwelling, building or structure, occupied in whole or in part for residential purposes that has combustible gas, shall, upon sale or transfer of such dwelling, building or structure, be inspected by the head of the fire department for compliance with the requirements of this section.”

(d) The state building code may impose stricter combustible gas alarm requirements for new construction or dwellings, buildings, or structures substantially renovated so as to constitute the equivalent of new construction. Every such dwelling building or structure, occupied in whole or in part for residential purposes, shall, upon sale or transfer of such dwelling, building or structure, be inspected by the head of the fire department for compliance with the combustible gas alarm requirements of the state building code in effect on the date of the issuance of the relevant building permit.

(e) The head of the fire department shall enforce this section.

(f) The department of public health shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate subsection (a) into the state sanitary code as established under section 127A of chapter 111.