Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Local Government & Housing Committee

HB 1435

Brief Description:  Requiring sprinkler systems in apartment buildings.

Sponsors:  Representatives Cooper, Lovick, Ruderman, McDermott, Murray, Dunshee, Conway and Keiser.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Requires the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in any existing building that is a hotel, apartment house, or congregate residence by December 1, 2008.

$Requires the State Building Code Council to adopt rules that require the installation of automatic sprinkler systems by December 1, 2001.

Hearing Date:  2/21/01

Staff:  Kenny Pittman (786‑7392).

Background: 

The state building code consists of a series of uniform codes and standards that regulate the construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings and structures.  All buildings and structures are classified, within the state building code, based on their use or occupancy.  A residential use or occupancy is classified as Group R.  Within the Group R occupancies the classifications are categorized as follows: (1) Group R, Division 1 B hotels, apartment houses, and congregate residences that accommodate more than 10 persons, and (2) Group R, Division 3 B dwellings, family day care homes, lodging houses, congregate residences that accommodate 10 persons or less, and foster family care homes licensed by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services that accommodates six or fewer children including those of the resident family

Currently, the state building code requires the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in all newly constructed hotels, apartment houses, and congregate residences that meet a certain height or occupancy threshold.  The thresholds are as follows (1) hotels B three or more stories in height or containing 20 or more guest room; (2) apartment houses B three or more stories in height or containing 16 or more dwelling units; (3) congregate residences B three or more stories in height or having an occupant load of 20 or more.  These provisions do not apply to any hotel, apartment house, or congregate residence that was constructed before these requirements were adopted by the State Building Code Council.

The State Building Code Council is responsible for (1) the adoption and maintenance of the state building code, (2) the approval or denial of all county or city amendments to the state building code that apply to single family or multifamily residential buildings with less than four dwelling units, (3) when directed by the Legislature, the development and adoption of any codes related to buildings, and (4) the development of a budget for the operation of the State Building Code Council.

Summary of Bill: 

The State Building Code Council must adopt rules that require the installation of automatic sprinkler systems in any existing building that is a hotel, apartment house, and congregate residence that accommodate more than 10 persons (Group R, Division 1 occupancies).  The State Building Code Council must adopt the rules by December 1, 2001 and automatic sprinkler systems must be installed by December 1, 2008.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 15, 2001.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.