Senate Bill 971 proposes to exempt certain agricultural warehouses from the requirement to install automatic fire sprinkler systems. Specifically, the bill targets warehouses that store liquid bulk fertilizers or pesticides, provided that these substances are kept in containers located within a secondary containment structure as mandated by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Additionally, the exemption applies to warehouses storing dry bulk fertilizers and pesticides. The bill defines a "specified agricultural warehouse" as a building primarily used for storing various agricultural chemicals for distribution to producers and stipulates that the exemption only applies to warehouses constructed after the bill's effective date.

To qualify for the exemption, the owner of the warehouse must notify the local fire department chief that water should not be used to suppress any fire at the facility and must inform them of any changes to the chemicals stored. The exemption does not extend to offices or stores within or attached to the warehouse, and it becomes void if the warehouse's use changes to something other than storing the specified substances. The bill also clarifies that it does not prevent local authorities from imposing other fire safety requirements, aside from the automatic sprinkler system.