HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1267        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2290

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Ruth B. Balser

_________________

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 fire protection.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

1/18/2023

Joan B. Lovely

Second Essex

5/23/2023

Margaret R. Scarsdale

1st Middlesex

10/2/2023

Jessica Ann Giannino

16th Suffolk

12/5/2023

Michelle L. Ciccolo

15th Middlesex

12/19/2023

William F. MacGregor

10th Suffolk

2/27/2024


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1267        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2290

By Representative Balser of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2290) of Ruth B. Balser relative to clarifying the standards for requiring the installation of automatic sprinkler systems in rehabilitated buildings.  Public Safety and Homeland Security.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2416 OF 2021-2022.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to fire protection.

 

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. Chapter 148 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out in its entirety section 26I and inserting in its place the following new section:

Section 26I. In a city, town or district which accepts the provisions of this section, any building hereafter constructed or which undergoes a major alteration or modification and is occupied in whole or in part for residential purposes and containing not less than four dwelling units including, but not limited to, lodging houses, boarding houses, fraternity houses, dormitories, apartments, townhouses, condominiums, hotels, motels and group residences, shall be equipped with an approved system of automatic sprinklers in accordance with the provisions of the State Building Code.  In the event that adequate water supply is not available, the head of the fire department shall permit the installation of an alternative or modified fire suppression system as prescribed by the State Building Code in lieu of automatic sprinklers.  Owners of buildings with approved and properly maintained installations may be eligible for a reduction on fire insurance.  The head of the fire department shall enforce the provisions of this section. 

Whoever is aggrieved by the fire department’s interpretation, order, requirement, direction or failure to act under the provisions of this section, may within forty-five days after the service of notice thereof, appeal from such interpretation, order, requirement, direction or failure to act to the automatic sprinkler appeals board as provided in section two hundred and one of chapter six.  The board may grant a reasonable waiver from the provisions of this section, or may allow the installation of a reasonable alternative, modified or partial system of automatic sprinklers based upon the characteristics of the building or for those buildings that have architectural or historical significance.

SECTION 2.Nothing in this act shall be construed as limiting the State Building Code from requiring more stringent requirements for installation of automatic sprinklers in residential buildings.               

SECTION 3. The provisions of section one shall not apply to construction projects approved by permit within one year prior to the effective date of this act.