Bill > HB1555

This bill establishes new procedures for administering and enforcing the state fire code, focusing on four key areas. First, it authorizes local fire chiefs to grant variances from the state fire code under specific circumstances, such as demonstrating that a proposed alternative method meets or exceeds safety standards, with applicants required to sign a comprehensive indemnification statement assuming risks associated with the variance. Second, the bill creates a 20-year exemption from retroactive fire code compliance for construction projects that were permitted and substantially completed before a new fire code iteration was adopted, meaning property owners will not need to retrofit their buildings to meet new standards for two decades after receiving a certificate of occupancy. Third, the bill establishes a new appeals process where property owners can challenge local fire chief decisions, with appeals first going to the state fire marshal in a de novo review (meaning the review considers the matter anew without deferring to the original decision), and then potentially escalating to the building code review board. Finally, the bill expands the state fire marshal's authority by allowing them to approve, disapprove, or make exceptions to the state building code. These changes aim to provide more flexibility for property owners while maintaining public safety standards, and will take effect on July 2, 2026.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=2039&inflect=2