Bill > S1249

This bill amends existing law to require that when certain residential buildings and structures, specifically those with one or two family units or between three and five dwelling units, are sold or transferred, the seller must ensure they are equipped with approved smoke detectors that meet the regulations set by the board of fire prevention regulations. The head of the fire department will inspect these buildings at the time of sale or transfer to ensure compliance, with an exception for buildings that have received a certificate of occupancy within the last five years. The bill also allows for the use of approved monitored battery-powered smoke detectors, defined as U.L. Listed detectors with a ten-year sealed battery or a comparable low-voltage system, and clarifies that upgrades or replacements are not required if existing smoke detector installations or power supplies already met the state building code at the time they were installed. Furthermore, this bill repeals sections 26E and 26F of chapter 148 of the General Laws and makes a technical correction to reference section 26D instead of 26F in another section of the law.