Bill Text: CA AB1923 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Residential structures: natural gas shutoff devices.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-08-20 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB1923 Detail]
Download: California-2019-AB1923-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Senate
July 30, 2020 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
March 12, 2020 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1923
Introduced by Assembly Member Salas |
January 14, 2020 |
An act to add Section 17922.4 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to building standards.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1923, as amended, Salas.
Residential structures: natural gas shutoff devices.
Existing law, the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 2011, among other things, authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to require the installation of automatic shutoff or remote controlled sectionalized block valves on specified gas pipelines if the commission determines that those valves are necessary for the protection of the public. Existing law also authorizes the governing body of any city or county to enact an ordinance that conforms to specified standards adopted by the State Architect requiring the installation of earthquake sensitive gas shutoff devices in buildings open to the public.
Existing law requires the State Architect to certify as meeting specified standards any new seismic gas shutoff device for installation on customer-owned gas piping, as
defined, that is sold in this state. The law requires the State Architect to establish the certification procedure and fee.
Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, requires state agencies that adopt or propose adoption of any building standard to submit the building standard to the California Building Standards Commission (commission) for approval and adoption. Existing law requires the commission to adopt specific building standards, including standards for graywater and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and to publish, or cause to be published, editions of the California Building Standards Code in its entirety once every 3 years.
Existing law, the State Housing Law, among other things, requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (department) to propose the adoption, amendment, or repeal of specified building standards related to residential structures in
accordance with the California Building Standards Law.
This bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with the Office of the State Architect and the State Fire Marshal, to consider whether to propose for adoption and approval by the California Building Standards Commission, in the code adoption cycle that begins after January 1, 2022, the requirement that seismic gas shutoff devices or excess flow gas shutoff devices, installed on customer-owned gas piping, be installed in all or a portion of newly constructed residential dwelling units, motels, hotels, and lodging houses.
The bill would prohibit the department from proposing a standard that would require the installation of specified gas safety devices on an existing building as a condition of a real estate conveyance.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 17922.4 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:17922.4.
(a) The Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with the Office of the State Architect, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, gas companies, and other interested parties, shall consider whether(b) (1) If the department determines it is appropriate to propose mandatory or voluntary building standards, the department shall propose
for adoption building standards for consideration by the commission in a regularly occurring code adoption cycle that takes place after January 1, 2022.
(2) The department shall not propose for adoption a building standard that would require the installation of a seismic gas shutoff device or an excess flow gas shutoff device on an existing building as a condition of a real property conveyance pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1091) of Title 4 of Part 4 of Division 2 of the Civil Code.
(c) If the department decides to not propose mandatory or voluntary building standards, the department shall explain in writing the reasons for its decision. It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section that the department
include in any proposal to the commission an analysis of the cost and safety benefits of the proposal.
(d) In researching, developing, and proposing mandatory
or voluntary building standards under this section, the commission department is authorized to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon appropriation pursuant to Section 18931.7.