Housing; installation and maintenance of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in rental property. (HB609)

Introduced By

Del. Betsy Carr (D-Richmond) with support from co-patron Del. Dawn Adams (D-Richmond)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Housing; installation and maintenance of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Creates a statewide standard for the installation and maintenance of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in rental property. The bill requires a landlord (i) to install a smoke alarm but does not permit a locality to require new or additional wiring or the upgrading of smoke alarms under certain conditions and (ii) to certify annually that smoke alarms have been installed and maintained in good working order in a residential dwelling unit pursuant to the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.) and the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.). The landlord is also required to install a carbon monoxide alarm upon request by a tenant; the installation and subsequent maintenance must be in compliance with the Statewide Fire Prevention Code and the Uniform Statewide Building Code. A tenant of a rental dwelling unit with a smoke alarm or both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms shall not tamper or remove such alarms. Under the bill, a reasonable accommodation must be made for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired, upon request. Localities that have enacted a fire and carbon monoxide alarm ordinance must conform such ordinances with these state standards by July 1, 2019. The bill also requires the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with the Department of Fire Programs, to develop a form for landlords for use in certifying inspections that summarizes smoke alarm maintenance requirements for landlords and tenants. The bill, as introduced, is a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission. This bill is identical to SB 391. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/08/2018Committee
01/08/2018Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18104508D
01/08/2018Referred to Committee on General Laws
01/17/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB609)
01/19/2018Assigned GL sub: Subcommittee #2
01/25/2018Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (8-Y 0-N)
01/30/2018Reported from General Laws with amendments (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/01/2018Read first time
02/02/2018Read second time
02/02/2018Committee amendments agreed to
02/02/2018Engrossed by House as amended HB609E
02/02/2018Printed as engrossed 18104508D-E
02/05/2018Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)
02/05/2018VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/06/2018Constitutional reading dispensed
02/06/2018Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
02/08/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB609E)
02/12/2018Reported from General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/14/2018Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/15/2018Read third time
02/15/2018Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/19/2018Enrolled
02/19/2018Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB609ER)
02/19/2018Signed by Speaker
02/20/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB609ER)
02/21/2018Signed by President
02/22/2018Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on 2/22/18
02/22/2018G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, March 1, 2018
02/26/2018G Approved by Governor-Chapter 41 (effective 7/1/18)
02/26/2018G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0041)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 38 seconds.