Minnesota Session Laws - 2000, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 417-S.F.No. 3272 
                  An act relating to the building code; modifying 
                  requirements of bleacher safety; amending Minnesota 
                  Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 16B.616, 
                  subdivisions 3 and 4. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
        16B.616, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 3.  [SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.] In places of public 
        accommodation using bleacher seating, all bleachers or bleacher 
        open spaces over 30 55 inches above grade or the floor below, 
        and all bleacher guardrails if any part of the guardrail is over 
        30 inches above grade or the floor below must conform to the 
        following safety requirements: 
           (1) the open space between bleacher footboards, seats, and 
        guardrails must not exceed four inches, unless approved safety 
        nets are installed, except that retractable bleachers already in 
        place as of January 1, 2001, with open spaces not exceeding nine 
        inches, are exempt from the requirement of this clause; 
           (2) bleachers must have vertical perimeter guardrails with 
        no more than four-inch rail spacing between vertical rails or 
        other approved guardrails that address climbability and are 
        designed to prevent accidents; and 
           (3) the state building official shall determine whether the 
        safety nets and guardrail climbability meet the requirements of 
        the alternate design section of the State Building Code.  All 
        new bleachers manufactured, installed, sold, or distributed 
        after January 1, 2001, must comply with the State Building Code 
        in effect and clauses (1), (2), and (3) this subdivision. 
           Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
        16B.616, subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 4.  [ENFORCEMENT.] (a) A statutory or home rule 
        charter city that is not covered by the code because of action 
        taken under section 16B.72 or 16B.73 is responsible for 
        enforcement in the city of the code's requirements for bleacher 
        safety.  In all other areas where the code does not apply 
        because of action taken under section 16B.72 or 16B.73, the 
        county is responsible for enforcement of those requirements. 
           (b) Municipalities that have not adopted the code may 
        enforce the code requirements for bleacher safety by either 
        entering into a joint powers agreement for enforcement with 
        another municipality that has adopted the code or contracting 
        for enforcement with a qualified and certified building official 
        or state licensed design professional to enforce the code. 
           (c) Municipalities, school districts, organizations, 
        individuals, and other persons operating or owning places of 
        public accommodation with bleachers that are subject to the 
        safety requirements in subdivision 3 shall provide a signed 
        certification of compliance to the commissioner by January 1, 
        2001 2002.  For bleachers exempted by subdivision 3, clause (1), 
        entities covered by this paragraph must have on file a bleacher 
        safety management plan and amortization schedule.  The 
        certification shall be prepared by a qualified and certified 
        building official or state licensed design professional and 
        shall certify that the bleachers have been inspected and are in 
        compliance with the requirements of this section and are 
        structurally sound.  For bleachers owned by a school district, 
        the person the district designates to be responsible for 
        buildings and grounds may make the certification. 
           Presented to the governor April 13, 2000 
           Signed by the governor April 17, 2000, 3:56 p.m.