Bill Summary

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.

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Status

Became Law

Votes

Date Action Vote Document
2018-01-25House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (8-Y 0-N)Yea: 8 No: 0 Other: 0Document
2018-01-30House: Reported from General Laws with amendments (22-Y 0-N)Yea: 22 No: 0 Other: 0Document
2018-02-05House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N)Yea: 98 No: 0 Other: 0Document
2018-02-12Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N)Yea: 14 No: 0 Other: 0Document
2018-02-15Senate: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)Yea: 40 No: 0 Other: 0Document
2018-02-14Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)Yea: 40 No: 0 Other: 0Document

Amendments

no data available at this time.

Bill History

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

Sponsors

Name District
Betsy CarrHD-069
Dawn AdamsHD-068