House File 446 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY THOMAS
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the adoption of a window safety screen
2 standard as part of the state building code.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 2197HH 82
5 eg/gg/14
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 100.35, Code 2007, is amended by adding
1 2 the following new unnumbered paragraph:
1 3 NEW UNNUMBERED PARAGRAPH. The fire marshal shall adopt
1 4 rules pertaining to window safety screens, as defined in
1 5 section 103A.8B, as applicable to fire safety.
1 6 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 103A.8B WINDOW SAFETY SCREENS.
1 7 1. The commissioner shall adopt as a part of the state
1 8 building code a requirement that safety screens shall be
1 9 installed on each window that is capable of being opened and
1 10 that is located above the adjacent outside grade, for the
1 11 following residential construction:
1 12 a. New multi=family construction commenced on or after
1 13 January 1, 2008.
1 14 b. Multi=family construction that receives financing from
1 15 the Iowa finance authority for remodeling or reconstruction
1 16 that commences on or after January 1, 2008.
1 17 c. New single=family construction commenced on or after
1 18 January 1, 2009.
1 19 2. For purposes of this section, "safety screen" means a
1 20 window screen, associated framing, and hardware that is
1 21 designed to prevent a small child from passing through the
1 22 screen when a force of thirty foot=pounds or less is applied
1 23 to the screen. A safety screen must be capable of being
1 24 opened from the inside of the dwelling by a person without any
1 25 knowledge or expertise on opening such screens.
1 26 3. The commissioner may adopt a requirement that exceeds
1 27 the standard in subsection 2 as applied to residential
1 28 construction enumerated in this section.
1 29 Sec. 3. Section 103A.10, Code 2007, is amended by adding
1 30 the following new subsection:
1 31 NEW SUBSECTION. 6. Notwithstanding the provisions of
1 32 section 103A.22, subsection 1, the provisions of the state
1 33 building code establishing window safety screen standards
1 34 shall be applicable to all single=family and multi=family
1 35 residential construction as provided in section 103A.8B.
2 1 EXPLANATION
2 2 This bill requires, in new Code section 103A.8B, the state
2 3 building code commissioner to adopt as part of the state
2 4 building code a requirement that safety screens be installed
2 5 on each window that is capable of being opened and that is
2 6 located above the adjacent outside grade, for residential
2 7 construction, as follows:
2 8 1. New multi=family construction commenced on or after
2 9 January 1, 2008.
2 10 2. Multi=family construction that receives financing from
2 11 the Iowa finance authority for remodeling or reconstruction
2 12 that commences on or after January 1, 2008.
2 13 3. New single=family construction commenced on or after
2 14 January 1, 2009.
2 15 The bill defines "safety screen" as a window screen,
2 16 associated framing, and hardware that is designed to prevent a
2 17 small child from passing through the screen when a force of
2 18 thirty foot=pounds or less is applied to the screen. The bill
2 19 provides that a safety screen must be capable of being opened
2 20 from the inside of the dwelling by a person without any
2 21 knowledge or expertise on opening screens.
2 22 The bill provides that the state building code establishing
2 23 window safety screen standards shall be applicable to
2 24 single=family and multi=family residential construction as
2 25 provided in new Code section 103A.8B. As a part of the state
2 26 building code, the new standards are subject to enforcement
2 27 under Code section 103A.19.
2 28 The bill also requires that the state fire marshal adopt
2 29 rules pertaining to window safety screens as applicable to
2 30 fire safety.
2 31 LSB 2197HH 82
2 32 eg:nh/gg/14