Title: An act relating to providing assistance in identifying fire sprinkler system components that have been subject to a recall or voluntary replacement program.

Brief Description: Providing assistance in identifying recalled sprinkler system parts.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Representatives Holmquist, Simpson, Curtis, Condotta, Dunshee and Darneille).

Brief History:

Commerce & Labor: 2/21/05, 2/21/05 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/8/05, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives Conway, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Condotta, Ranking Minority Member; Sump, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Hudgins and McCoy.

Staff: Jill Reinmuth (786-7134).

Background:

The state director of fire protection (the state fire marshal) administers licensing and certification requirements, and sets license and certificate fees for fire sprinkler contractors and fire sprinkler certificate of competency holders. Contractors pay initial application fees ranging from $35 to $500, and annual fees ranging from $100 to $1,500. (Contractor license fees vary depending on the level of licensing.) Certificate holders pay initial application fees of $25, and annual fees of $25. These fees are deposited into the Fire Protection Contractor License Fund. This fund is used only for purposes of licensing and regulating fire protection sprinkler system contractors. It is subject to allotment, but not appropriation.

Summary of Substitute Bill: :

The purposes for which the Fire Protection Contractor License Fund may be used are broadened. The fund may be used to assist in identifying fire sprinkler system components that are subject to recalls or voluntary replacement programs, as well as for licensing and regulating fire protection sprinkler system contractors. Assistance must include, but is not limited to, helping identify recalled components, helping to make sure consumers are aware of recalls and voluntary replacement programs, and training and assisting local fire authorities, the industry, and the public. Recalls and voluntary replacement programs must be by manufacturers, testing laboratories, or the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This bill addresses a public safety matter. There are currently 700,000 sprinkler heads in this state that are subject to recall. The manufacturer of the sprinkler heads will replace them until August 2006. After that, consumers who choose to replace the sprinklers will have to pay for their replacement. Replacements are necessary to ensure public safety in the event of fires.

This bill expands the allowable uses of the Fire Protection Contractor License Fund. Some clarifying language has been worked out with the industry.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Holmquist, prime sponsor; Anjela Foster, Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal; and Rick Jensen, Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board of Puget Sound.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.