The first bill-- House Bill 377 (Everett-R-Lycoming)-- to be passed by both chambers of the General Assembly during the current session, and the first bill sent to Gov. Corbett, will eliminate the requirement to have sprinklers in certain residential construction, Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County) said today.
The measure, which passed the House by a vote of 129-68, repeals a requirement that automatic sprinkler systems must be installed in new home construction.
"These additional costs discouraged many families from building and stalled the homebuilding industry right when our housing market was trying to recover from the recession," Rep. Turzai said. "The sprinkler mandate is another example of government over-stepping its bounds and taking away personal choices of homeowners to keep things affordable."
House Bill 377 removes the residential sprinkler requirement for new one- and two-family residential homes. Further, the bill requires the state's Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council to hold public hearings to determine the impact new provisions may have, including financial impact, and vote, with a two-thirds majority, before implementing the requirements in Pennsylvania.
“This is an issue of public safety versus builder profits and it’s offensive to think that members of the Senate have put a price tag on the life of an individual,” said Sen. Mike Stack (D-Philadelphia). “This is bad for Pennsylvania homeowners and first responders alike.”Sen. Stack noted about 3,500 Americans die each year in fires and about 18,300 are injured, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, which reports that the combination of working smoke alarms and home fire sprinklers reduces the likelihood of death from fire by more than 80 percent.
“It is amazing how quickly a fire can spread once it’s ignited. Often, people have just seconds to react,” Sen. Stack said. “Sprinklers can dramatically reduce destruction, minimizing damage and greatly improving a homeowner’s chance to get out alive.”
The Pennsylvania Builders Association opposes the sprinkler requirement. They claim it will add up to $15,000 to the cost of buying a home. The Sprinklerfitters union, sprinkler manufacturers and contractors, and the State Fire Commissioner dispute this figure, saying that a sprinkler system in the average new home will cost an average of $3,200 depending on the size of the home.
“Is $3,200 dollars worth the life of a Pennsylvanian? How about $7,000 dollars? Is it worth the life of a family? Is it worth the life of a firefighter?” Sen. Stack said. “The answer should be a resounding ‘Yes!’ but today’s vote says otherwise. This is a sad day for Pennsylvania.”
