STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires new one- and two-family residences to be equipped with fire extinguishers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act requiring new one- and two-family residences to be equipped with fire extinguishers and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. An application for a construction permit for a new structure that is intended for use as a residence by not more than two households shall not be declared complete by the enforcing agency unless the application provides for the placement of a portable fire extinguisher in accordance with this section.
b. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to its rule-making authority under the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) in order to effectuate the purposes of this section. The rules and regulations shall include, but not be limited to, standards for the placement of a portable fire extinguisher in a structure subject to this section.
c. As used in this section, “portable fire extinguisher” means an operable portable device, carried and operated by hand, containing an extinguishing agent that can be expelled under pressure for the purpose of suppressing or extinguishing fire, and which is: (1) rated for residential use consisting of an ABC type; (2) no larger than a 10 pound rated extinguisher; and (3) mounted within 10 feet of the kitchen area, unless otherwise permitted by the enforcing agency.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require that new one- and two-family residences be equipped with fire extinguishers. Under current law, existing one- and two-family residences are inspected to ensure that they are equipped with fire extinguishers prior to a change in occupancy. Current law does not require such an inspection prior to an initial occupancy of a brand new one- or two-family residence. Under the bill, a construction permit application for such a residence would have to provide for the placement of a fire extinguisher. Making this fire extinguisher provision a part of the construction permit means that the inspection required to obtain an initial certificate of occupancy would have to confirm that the covered residence is equipped with a fire extinguisher.