Senate Study Bill 3097 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WEBSTER) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the national electrical code. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 6613XC (4) 91 ss/ns
S.F. _____ Section 1. Section 103.1, Code 2026, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 12A. “National electrical code” means 3 the national electrical code, 2023 edition, published by the 4 national fire protection association, as modified by section 5 103.1B, and excluding sections 210.52(C)(3), 230.67, and 6 406.4(D)(4) of the national electrical code, 2023 edition. 7 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 103.1B National electrical code —— 8 alterations. 9 For purposes of the national electrical code: 10 1. Dwelling units. Section 210.8(A) of the national 11 electrical code, 2023 edition, is amended by requiring that 12 one hundred twenty-five volt through two hundred fifty volt 13 receptacles supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated one 14 hundred fifty volts or less to ground installed in a kitchen 15 only require ground-fault circuit interrupter protection 16 for personnel where receptacles are installed to serve the 17 countertop surfaces and by striking section 210.8(A)(7) of the 18 national electrical code, 2023 edition. In lieu of basements, 19 section 210.8(A) of the national electrical code, 2023 edition, 20 shall apply to unfinished portions or areas of the basement not 21 intended as habitable rooms. 22 2. Arc-fault circuit interrupters. Notwithstanding section 23 210.12(B) of the national electrical code, 2023 edition, 24 arc-fault circuit interrupters shall not be required for 25 one-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses, and section 26 210.12(B) of the national electrical code, 2023 edition, shall 27 not apply to kitchens or laundry areas. 28 3. Kitchen receptacles on islands and peninsulas. In lieu 29 of the requirements of section 210.52(C)(2) of the national 30 electrical code, 2023 edition, an electrical provision or 31 at least one receptacle shall be installed at each island 32 and peninsular countertop space with a long dimension of six 33 hundred millimeters, or twenty-four inches, or greater and a 34 short dimension of three hundred millimeters, or twelve inches, 35 -1- LSB 6613XC (4) 91 ss/ns 1/ 3
S.F. _____ or greater, with a peninsular countertop being measured from 1 the connected perpendicular wall. 2 4. Load calculations. With respect to section 220.5(C) 3 of the national electrical code, 2023 edition, the calculated 4 floor area of a dwelling unit shall additionally exclude 5 garages. 6 5. Ceiling outlets. In addition to the requirements of 7 section 314.27(A)(2) of the national electrical code, 2023 8 edition, outlet boxes mounted in the ceilings of family 9 rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, 10 sunrooms, recreation rooms, and similar areas of dwelling 11 occupancies, and located in an area of the ceiling typical 12 for the installation of a ceiling-suspended paddle fan shall 13 be installed to accommodate a ceiling-suspended paddle fan in 14 accordance with section 314.27(C) of the national electrical 15 code, 2023 edition. 16 6. Boxes at ceiling-suspended paddle fan outlets. In lieu 17 of the second paragraph of section 314.27(C) of the national 18 electrical code, 2023 edition, where a ceiling-suspended paddle 19 fan is not installed, the outlet box shall comply with either 20 section 314.27(C)(1) or 314.27(C)(2) of the national electrical 21 code, 2023 edition. 22 7. Receptacles near bathtub and shower spaces. In lieu of 23 the requirements of and exceptions to section 406.9(C) of the 24 national electrical code, 2023 edition, receptacles shall not 25 be installed within or directly over a bathtub or shower stall. 26 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 103.1C Electrical code —— amendments 27 —— limitations. 28 1. A political subdivision shall not adopt a local 29 electrical code that is more restrictive than the national 30 electrical code. 31 2. Prior to adopting any changes to the national electrical 32 code pursuant to section 103.6, including but not limited to by 33 adopting the national electrical code, 2026 edition, published 34 by the national fire protection association, the board shall 35 -2- LSB 6613XC (4) 91 ss/ns 2/ 3
S.F. _____ conduct an analysis of the cost to consumers of any significant 1 changes to the national electrical code. The analysis shall 2 be submitted to the administrative rules coordinator for 3 publication in the Iowa administrative bulletin along with the 4 notice of intended action. 5 Sec. 4. FUTURE REPEAL. Section 103.1, subsection 12A, and 6 section 103.1B, as enacted by this Act, are repealed effective 7 upon the adoption of the national electrical code, 2026 8 edition, published by the national fire protection association, 9 by the electrical examining board. The electrical examining 10 board shall inform the Iowa Code editor upon the adoption of 11 the national electrical code, 2026 edition. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 This bill relates to the national electrical code. The bill 16 adopts certain provisions of the national electrical code, 17 2023 edition, with amendments, as the national electrical code 18 applicable in this state. The bill prohibits a political 19 subdivision from adopting a local electrical code that is 20 more restrictive than the national electrical code. The bill 21 requires the electrical examining board (board) to conduct an 22 analysis of the cost to consumers of any significant changes 23 to the national electrical code prior to adopting any changes 24 to the national electrical code. The board shall submit 25 the analysis to the administrative rules coordinator for 26 publication in the Iowa administrative bulletin along with the 27 notice of intended action. 28 The bill repeals the provisions adopting the national 29 electrical code, 2023 edition, with amendments, as of the 30 adoption of the national electrical code, 2026 edition, 31 published by the national fire protection association, by the 32 board. The bill requires the board to inform the Iowa Code 33 editor upon the adoption of the national electrical code, 2026 34 edition. 35 -3- LSB 6613XC (4) 91 ss/ns 3/ 3