State Representative Dwight Kay (R-Glen Carbon) and State Representative Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) are joining fellow lawmakers in voicing strong opposition to a proposed regulation by the Illinois State Fire Marshal mandating fire sprinkler systems be installed in all new residential home construction and existing places of assembly.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) proposed the new regulation on June 28, 2013, requiring the installation of fire sprinkler systems in new one-and-two family homes. Previous OSFM sprinkler mandate covered multi-family housing buildings, and single-family housing was carved out from the mandate. Existing churches and other places of public worship are also affected by this rulemaking.
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“This mandate to increase the cost of purchasing a new home by as much as $18,000 does not sound like the american dream. It should continue to be the homeowners choice whether or not to install fire sprinklers in their home. The metro east has seen record population growth in the past decade as a result of new homes being built in our communities. A mandate this high will have a negative impact,” Rep. Kay said.
“This mandate is nothing more than government overreach at a time when our state government has more important things to worry about. Fire safety is important but imposing expensive mandates on home builders and home owners is not the way to enhance it,” Rep. Meier said.
Home owners will also have to pay costs for annual inspections and maintenance of fire sprinkler systems. Current law allows home owners to install sprinklers in new home construction if they wish. Depending on a new home’s size, the cost to install a fire sprinkler system can range from $7,000 to over $18,000, according to the Home Builders Association of Illinois. Due to the substantial financial impact, 40 states have turned down statewide fire sprinkler mandates.
According to the National Association of Home Builders, Illinois ranks 50th in the nation in per capita new home construction, and last year, neighboring Indiana built more new homes than Illinois with less than half the population.
“New homes equal more jobs and revenue for the metro east. This mandate will discourage new homes from being built resulting in a loss of jobs which is why I oppose this mandate. Fire safety is a priority but this is not the ‘be all or end all’,” Rep. Kay said.
“Aside from farming, I build subdivisions in the Okawville area. This mandate will directly and negatively impact home construction in Illinois, putting a lot of people out of work at a time when we need to be working to create more jobs,” Rep. Meier said.
According to Bill Ward, Executive Vice President, Home Builders Association of Illinois, “Fire sprinkler system installation should remain to be a choice of Illinois home owners and be kept out of the hands of Illinois government bureaucrats. Every survey conducted in Illinois and across the United States shows strong support for home owner’s choice. Forty out of forty two states agree with this policy and have affirmatively turned down efforts of the few to gain state control on this issue. Illinois policy makers have consistently kept building code matters in the hands of local government control because they are closer to their constituents and have better knowledge on what positive and negative effects a building code will have on their jurisdictions.”
Representatives Kay and Meier encourage concerned citizens to submit written comments to the State Fire Marshal or attend the upcoming hearing.
OSFM will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 6th at the State Fire Marshal’s Springfield headquarters at 1035 Stevenson Drive in Springfield.
As part of the administrative rule making process, public comments are very important and residents, churches and business owners are encouraged to voice their opposition to the proposed rule. Written comments can be mailed or faxed no later than August 10, 2013 to Ken Wood at OSFM at the contact information below.
Ken Wood, P.E. EFO
Director, Division of Technical Services
Office of the State Fire Marshal
100 W. Randolph St., Suite 4-600
Chicago IL 60601
Please reference in your comments the rule change to 41 Ill. Adm. Code 100, published on First Notice in vol. 37, issue 26 of the Illinois Register on 6/28/13.
