| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to rep |
|
|
orting and monitoring of residential high-rise |
|
|
buildings without fire protection sprinkler systems. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 417, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Section 417.011 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 417.011. REPORTING AND MONITORING OF FIRE PROTECTION |
|
|
SPRINKLER SYSTEMS IN RESIDENTIAL HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS |
|
|
(a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Local government" means a municipality, a county, |
|
|
a special-purpose district or authority, or any other political |
|
|
subdivision of the state. |
|
|
(2) "Residential high-rise building" means a building |
|
|
used primarily for a residential purpose and that extends 75 feet or |
|
|
More from the ground. |
|
|
(3) "Fire department" means a department of a local |
|
|
government that is staffed by permanent, full-time employees of the |
|
|
local government and that is organized to prevent or suppress |
|
|
fires. |
|
|
(4) "Fire protection sprinkler system" means an |
|
|
assembly of underground or overhead piping or conduits that conveys |
|
|
water with or without other agents to dispersal openings or devices |
|
|
to: |
|
|
(A) extinguish, control, or contain fire; and |
|
|
(B) provide protection from exposure to fire or |
|
|
the products of combustion. |
|
|
(b) Not later than December 1st of each year, beginning with |
|
|
December 1, 2015, local governments and fire departments will |
|
|
coordinate to submit to the fire marshal: |
|
|
(1) A report of all residential high-rise buildings |
|
|
within that local government jurisdiction that are not currently |
|
|
equipped with a fire protection sprinkler system in good working |
|
|
order, including the following information for each building: |
|
|
(A) if the building has a fire protection |
|
|
sprinkler system in only part of the building, and if so, what part; |
|
|
(B) the building's street and mailing address; |
|
|
(C) the name of the owner of the building; |
|
|
(D) the number of current occupants; |
|
|
(E) if at least 50% of the occupants are senior |
|
|
citizens, disabled, or mobility impaired; |
|
|
(F) any previous safety violations; and |
|
|
(G) any other information requested by the fire |
|
|
marshal. |
|
|
(2) If residential high-rise buildings that are not |
|
|
currently equipped with a fire protection sprinkler system in good |
|
|
working order are present in a jurisdiction, then the local |
|
|
government and fire department must also submit: |
|
|
(A) what steps, if any, have been taken to |
|
|
address the issue; and |
|
|
(B) what plans, if any, are in place to address |
|
|
the issue and when the plans will be implemented. |
|
|
(3) The fire marshal may conduct inspections or |
|
|
further investigations. |
|
|
(4) The fire marshal may consult with local |
|
|
governments and fire departments, advise on best practices, and |
|
|
monitor action plans. |
|
|
(5) The fire marshal shall prepare and submit |
|
|
electronically to the Legislature a report of the information |
|
|
collected and analyzed under this section and an assessment of the |
|
|
actions and proposed plans. The report may also include any other |
|
|
information and recommendations that the fire marshal considers |
|
|
necessary. |
|
|
(6) This section expires August 31, 2019. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |