PRINTER'S NO. 432
No. 368 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY FAIRCHILD, BELFANTI, GRUCELA, VEREB, PHILLIPS,
BAKER, BEYER, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, DALEY, EVERETT,
FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GEIST, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, HENNESSEY,
KILLION, LEACH, MANN, MILLARD, R. MILLER, PETRARCA, RAPP,
REICHLEY, ROEBUCK, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SOLOBAY, SURRA,
SWANGER, WALKO, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK, COSTA AND PICKETT,
FEBRUARY 13, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, FEBRUARY 13, 2007
AN ACT
1 Providing for a loan program to assist colleges to install
2 automatic fire suppression systems in student residences;
3 establishing the Sprinkler Loan Fund; and providing for the
4 powers and duties of the Department of Community and Economic
5 Development and for an offense.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Short title.
9 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Student
10 Residence Automatic Fire Suppression System Installation Loan
11 Program and Protection Act.
12 Section 2. Definitions.
13 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
14 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
15 context clearly indicates otherwise:
16 "Automatic fire suppression system." An engineered system
17 using carbon dioxide, foam, wet or dry chemical, a halogenated
1 extinguishing agent, a clean extinguishing agent or an automatic
2 sprinkler system to detect and suppress a fire through fixed
3 piping and nozzles.
4 "College." A nonprofit educational institution situated
5 within this Commonwealth which is empowered to provide a program
6 of education beyond the high school level, which by virtue of
7 governing law and regulation is recognized by the State Board of
8 Education and which places no restrictions upon the admission of
9 students based upon race, creed or color.
10 "Department." The Department of Community and Economic
11 Development of the Commonwealth.
12 "Fund." The Sprinkler Loan Fund established under section 4.
13 "Student residence." A building not owned by a college which
14 is utilized as a residence by five or more students who attend
15 college and which is not required by State law to have an
16 automatic fire suppression system installed.
17 Section 3. Automatic fire suppression system loan program.
18 (a) Establishment.--The department shall establish and
19 administer a loan program utilizing moneys from the fund for the
20 purpose of providing low-interest loans to owners of student
21 residences to install automatic fire suppression systems. Loans
22 under this program shall only be utilized to fund the
23 installation of automatic fire suppression systems in
24 preexisting buildings.
25 (b) Terms and conditions.--A loan issued under this program
26 shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:
27 (1) The loan shall be subject to an interest rate of 2%
28 per annum.
29 (2) The loan shall be repaid within 15 years of the date
30 of the loan.
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1 (3) Any other terms and conditions as promulgated by the
2 department.
3 (c) Application.--The department shall develop an
4 application for loans from the fund. No loan shall be approved
5 by the department unless the applicant seeking the loan has
6 agreed to the terms and conditions required by the department.
7 Section 4. Sprinkler Loan Fund.
8 (a) Establishment.--The Sprinkler Loan Fund is established
9 as a separate fund in the State Treasury.
10 (b) Sources.--The following are sources of revenue for the
11 fund:
12 (1) Appropriations from the General Assembly.
13 (2) Any moneys donated or made available to the fund.
14 (c) Purpose.--The following are the purposes of the fund:
15 (1) To fund the automatic fire suppression system loan
16 program under section 3.
17 (2) To fund the department's administrative cost to
18 implement this act.
19 (d) Continuing appropriation.--The money in the fund is
20 hereby appropriated on a continuing basis to carry out the
21 provisions of this act and shall not lapse at the end of any
22 fiscal year.
23 (e) Administration.--The department shall administer the
24 fund. The department shall manage the moneys in the fund in a
25 manner that ensures that approval for loans under section 3
26 gives priority to applicants who are owners of student
27 residences in municipalities which have enacted ordinances
28 requiring installation of automatic fire suppression
29 installation stricter than what is required under the act of
30 November 10, 1999 (P.L.491, No.45), known as the Pennsylvania
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1 Construction Code Act.
2 Section 5. Offense.
3 (a) Prohibition.--An individual shall not tamper with or
4 disable an automatic fire suppression system.
5 (b) Grading.--An individual who violates subsection (a)
6 commits a misdemeanor of the third degree.
7 Section 6. Effective date.
8 This act shall take effect as follows:
9 (1) Section 3 shall take effect January 1, 2008.
10 (2) The remainder of this act shall take effect
11 immediately.
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