HF 3206

as introduced - 83rd Legislature (2003 - 2004) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to housing; requiring carbon monoxide alarms 
  1.3             in all dwellings; providing criminal penalties; 
  1.4             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.5             chapter 299F. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [299F.50] [DEFINITIONS.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [SCOPE.] As used in sections 299F.50 to 
  1.9   299F.52, the terms defined in this section have the meanings 
  1.10  given them. 
  1.11     Subd. 2.  [INSTALLED.] "Installed" means that an approved 
  1.12  carbon monoxide alarm is hardwired into the electrical wiring, 
  1.13  directly plugged into an electrical outlet without a switch, or, 
  1.14  if the alarm is battery-powered, attached to the wall of the 
  1.15  dwelling. 
  1.16     Subd. 3.  [SINGLE AND MULTIFAMILY DWELLING.] "Single and 
  1.17  multifamily dwelling" means any building or structure which is 
  1.18  wholly or partly used or intended to be used for living or 
  1.19  sleeping by human occupants. 
  1.20     Subd. 4.  [DWELLING UNIT.] "Dwelling unit" means an area 
  1.21  meant for living or sleeping by human occupants. 
  1.22     Subd. 5.  [APPROVED CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.] "Approved 
  1.23  carbon monoxide alarm" means a device meant for the purpose of 
  1.24  detecting carbon monoxide that is certified by a nationally 
  1.25  recognized testing laboratory to conform to the latest 
  2.1   Underwriters Laboratories Standards (known as UL2034 standards). 
  2.2      Subd. 6.  [OPERATIONAL.] "Operational" means working and in 
  2.3   service according to manufacturer's directions. 
  2.4      Sec. 2.  [299F.51] [REQUIREMENTS FOR CARBON MONOXIDE 
  2.5   ALARMS.] 
  2.6      Subdivision 1.  [GENERALLY.] Every single family dwelling 
  2.7   and every dwelling unit in a multifamily dwelling must have an 
  2.8   approved and operational carbon monoxide alarm installed on each 
  2.9   level of the residence and within ten feet of each room lawfully 
  2.10  used for sleeping purposes. 
  2.11     Subd. 2.  [OWNER'S DUTIES.] The owner of a multifamily 
  2.12  dwelling which is required to be equipped with one or more 
  2.13  approved carbon monoxide alarms must: 
  2.14     (1) provide and install one approved and operational carbon 
  2.15  monoxide alarm on each level of the dwelling and within ten feet 
  2.16  of each room lawfully used for sleeping; and 
  2.17     (2) replace any approved carbon monoxide alarm that has 
  2.18  been stolen, removed, found missing, or rendered inoperable 
  2.19  during a prior occupancy of the dwelling unit and which has not 
  2.20  been replaced by the prior occupant prior to the commencement of 
  2.21  a new occupancy of a dwelling unit. 
  2.22     Subd. 3.  [OCCUPANT'S DUTIES.] The occupant of each 
  2.23  dwelling unit in a multifamily dwelling in which an approved and 
  2.24  operational carbon monoxide alarm has been provided and 
  2.25  installed by the owner must: 
  2.26     (1) keep and maintain the device in good repair according 
  2.27  to manufacturer's directions; and 
  2.28     (2) replace any device that is stolen, removed, missing, or 
  2.29  rendered inoperable during the occupancy of the dwelling unit. 
  2.30     Subd. 4.  [BATTERY REMOVAL PROHIBITED.] No person shall 
  2.31  remove batteries from, or in any way render inoperable, a 
  2.32  required carbon monoxide alarm. 
  2.33     Sec. 3.  [299F.52] [ENFORCEMENT.] 
  2.34     A violation of section 299F.50 or 299F.51 subjects the 
  2.35  owner of the single family dwelling, multifamily dwelling, or 
  2.36  dwelling unit to the same penalty and enforcement mechanism 
  3.1   provided for violations of the Uniform Fire Code provided in 
  3.2   section 299F.011, subdivision 6. 
  3.3      Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.4      Sections 1 to 3 are effective January 1, 2006, for all 
  3.5   newly constructed single family and multifamily dwelling units 
  3.6   and August 1, 2007, for all existing and newly constructed 
  3.7   single family and multifamily dwelling units.