This bill amends the current state fire code by updating the reference editions of the Life Safety Code and the Uniform Fire Code from the 2021 to the 2024 editions, as ratified by the general court. It also modifies the procedures for reporting and investigating fire incidents, requiring fire departments to report incidents to the state fire marshal within ten days. The state fire marshal is granted additional authority to investigate fires and building collapses, particularly those that may indicate suspicious origins, and to submit findings to local authorities for potential prosecution.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new duties for the state fire marshal, including the ability to charge inspection fees for electrical and mechanical safety inspections and to conduct local fire code inspections if local officials are unavailable. It mandates the sharing of licensing information between the office of professional licensure and certification and the state fire marshal to assist inspectors in their duties, while ensuring that personal information remains confidential. The bill ratifies all amendments to the fire code approved by the board of fire control as of December 31, 2025, and is set to take effect 60 days after passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 153:1, 153:18, 153:4-a, 153:34, 319-C:5
As Amended by the Senate: 153:1, 153:18, 153:4-a, 153:34, 319-C:5
Version adopted by both bodies: 153:1, 153:18, 153:4-a, 153:34, 319-C:5
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 153:1, 153:18, 153:4-a, 153:34, 319-C:5
SB494 text: 153:1, 153:18, 153:4-a, 153:34, 319-C:5