Regular Session 2019-2020 Senate Bill 0935 P.N. 1516

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1364

PRINTER'S NO. 1516

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

935

Session of

2019

INTRODUCED BY LAUGHLIN, KILLION, ARGALL, YAW, DiSANTO, BOSCOLA,

J. WARD, PITTMAN, K. WARD, VOGEL, SCARNATI, BROOKS, REGAN,

BARTOLOTTA, AUMENT AND L. WILLIAMS, NOVEMBER 12, 2019

SENATOR BARTOLOTTA, LABOR AND INDUSTRY, AS AMENDED,

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

AN ACT

Amending the act of April 27, 1927 (P.L.465, No.299), entitled

"An act to provide for the safety of persons employed,

housed, or assembled in certain buildings and structures by

requiring certain construction and ways of egress, equipment,

and maintenance; providing for the licensing of

projectionists, except in cities of the first class and

second class; requiring the submission of plans for

examination and approval; providing for the promulgation of

rules and regulations for the enforcement of this act;

providing for the enforcement of this act by the Department

of Labor and Industry, the Department of Health, boards of

school directors and, in certain cases, by the chiefs of fire

departments in cities of the third class; providing penalties

for violations of the provisions of this act; and repealing

certain acts," further providing for standards for Class VI

buildings.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 3.6(f)(1)(i), (f.1) and (g) of the act of

April 27, 1927 (P.L.465, No.299), referred to as the Fire and

Panic Act, are amended to read:

Section 3.6. Standards for Class VI Buildings.--

(f) (1) (i) As to family child [day-care] care homes, a

facility [registered] LICENSED by the Department of [Public

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Welfare] Human Services as of [April 4, 1992,] THE EFFECTIVE

DATE OF THIS SECTION, shall be permitted [one full registration

period of twenty-four (24) months beyond] 12 MONTHS FROM THE

EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, OR UNTIL the expiration of [the

current certificate of registration] THEIR CURRENT LICENSE,

WHICHEVER IS LONGER, to comply with the requirements of this

section.

(f.1) (1) The smoke detection [devises] devices required

under this section [need not] shall be interconnected [or

electronically connected] VIA HARDWIRE, BLUETOOTH CONNECTIVITY

OR ANY OTHER MEANS THAT ALLOW FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEVICES

for family child [day-care] care homes. For the purposes of this

act, [noninterconnected] BATTERY OPERATED, INTERCONNECTED smoke

detection [devises] devices shall be deemed acceptable where:]

DEVICES MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

(i) each [devise] device is an enclosed nonreplacable battery

smoke detector unit which meets applicable UL standards and has

a minimum ten-year limited warranty] DEVICE SHALL BE POWERED BY

A NONREPLACEABLE LITHIUM BATTERY LISTED BY UNDERWRITERS

LABORATORIES THAT IS WARRANTED FOR TEN (10) YEARS commencing

with the date of purchase; and

(ii) the activation of each detector results in an alarm that

is audible to persons in the indoor child-care space with all

intervening doors closed.

(2) Family child [day-care] care home operators shall

maintain, in their fire drill logs, proof of purchase, including

the date of purchase of the smoke detector.

(3) A family child care home shall:

(i) Have a smoke detector on each floor and in the basement.

The smoke detectors on each floor and in the basement of the

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family child care home shall be interconnected via hardwire,

Bluetooth connectivity or any other means that allows for

communications between the devices. The smoke detectors may be

Underwriters Laboratories that is warranted for ten years and

should sound an alarm when activated that is audible to persons

in the facility's indoor child care space with all intervening

doors closed. Where this type of detector is utilized, the

facility owner of this detector shall keep the proof and date of

purchase of the detector in the facility's fire drill logs.

(ii) Have a portable fire extinguisher rated for class B

fires in the kitchen and other cooking areas.

(iii) Meet the exiting requirements for an R-3 occupancy and

licensure under 55 Pa. Code Ch. 3290 (relating to family child

day care homes).

(g) As used in this section, the following words and phrases

shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

"Family child [day-care] care home" means a home other than

the child's own home in which child [day] care is provided at

any one time to four (4), five (5) or six (6) children unrelated

to the operator.

["Group child day-care home" means a home other than a

child's own home in which child day care is provided at any one

time for more than six (6) but fewer than thirteen (13) children

who are unrelated to the operator.]

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 120 60 days.

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