Don't miss the HBA Home & Outdoor Living Show, April 12 - 14, 2024 Wilson Logistics Arena  |  Ozark Empire Fairgrounds  |  Springfield, MO
Don't miss the HBA Home &
Outdoor Living Show
April 12 - 14, 2024
Wilson Logistics Arena
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
Springfield, MO

MO Senate Perfects Mandatory Option for Sprinklers

Your advocacy team in the state capitol, including HBA of Greater Springfield lobbyist Scott Swain and HBA of Missouri lobbyist Jewell Patek, have been so successful in focusing the legislature on the fire sprinkler bill, it is well prepared for final passage by the general assembly very early in the session. The momentum continues to build for this extension of the statute which keeps the choice regarding residential fire sprinklers in the hands of the homeowner. That provision was set to expire at the end of this year, meaning any jurisdiction could then enforce a code including mandatory residential fire sprinklers. On Wednesday, the Senate perfected its version of the bill to read precisely the same as the House version which passed the previous week. Once a bill is perfected, it is then ready to come back to the calendar for final passage. As well, the Senate also held a first reading of House Bill 46. If the Senate passes this version of the bill, it will be Truly Agreed and Finally Passed – ready for the Governor’s signature. The final language reads as follows: (words in bold have been added, words in brackets [ ] are to be deleted.)

“A builder of [single-family] one- or two-family dwellings or [residences or multi-unit dwellings of four or fewer units] townhouses shall offer to any purchaser on or before the time of entering into the purchase contract the option, at the purchaser’s cost, to install or equip fire sprinklers in the dwelling[, residence,] or [unit] townhouse. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no purchaser of such a [single-family] one- or two-family dwelling[, residence,] or [multi-unit dwelling] townhouse shall be denied the right to choose or decline to install a fire sprinkler system in such dwelling or [residence] townhouse being purchased by any code, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, or resolution by any county or other political subdivision. Any county or other political subdivision shall provide in any such code, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, or resolution the mandatory option for purchasers to have the right to choose and the requirement that builders offer to purchasers the option to purchase fire sprinklers in connection with the purchase of any [single family] one- or two-family dwelling[, residence,] or [multi-unit dwelling of four or fewer units] townhouse. The provisions of this section shall expire on December 31, [2011] 2019.

2. Any governing body of any political subdivision that adopts the 2009 International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings or a subsequent edition of such code without mandated automatic fire sprinkler systems in Section R313 of such code shall retain the language in section R317 for two-family dwellings (R317.1) and townhouses (R317.2).

An extension also means that builders of new homes (including spec homes) must offer the purchaser the option of installing a fire sprinkler system at the buyer’s expense. The HBA of Greater Springfield provides an electronic version of a print-ready brochure providing information regarding fire sprinkler systems that builders can provide to purchasers as well as a form which verifies the purchaser’s choice which can be included with contract documents.

Another HBA of Missouri supported bill passed in the House recently. This legislation would clarify that occupational diseases are covered by the workers’ compensation system. The bill also would prohibit employees from filing lawsuits against their co-workers for injuries that qualify under the workers’ compensation system.