BILL ANALYSIS
AB 660
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 13, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 660 (Torrico) - As Introduced: February 25, 2009
Policy Committee: Governmental
Organization Vote: 11 - 4
Business and Professions 7 - 4
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits any person from installing or modifying a
fire sprinkler system, a wet standpipe system, or an automatic
fire extinguishing system without a certificate of registration
issued by the State Fire Marshal (SFM). Specifically, this bill:
1)Prohibits anyone from installing certain fire extinguishing
systems without a certificate of registration.
2)Requires the revenue from all monetary penalties, licensing
fees, and renewal fees be deposited in the State Fire Marshal
Licensing and Certification Fund.
3)Requires the SFM to maintain a central registry of names of
all persons to whom it has issued a sprinkler fitter or
limited scope sprinkler fitter certificate and sprinkler
fitter apprentice or sprinkler fitter trainee permit. In
addition, it requires that the registry be maintained on a
publicly accessible website and that it be updated on a
monthly basis.
4)Requires the SFM to adopt regulations for administering the
certification program. Those regulations must include
qualifications; continuing education; bases for denial or
revocations; a schedule of fees for administration and
enforcement; and the period for, and renewal of, the
certificate of registration.
5)States that any person who violates any provision of this
AB 660
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chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than
$500 and not more than $1000 for each violation.
6)States that any person who knowingly or willfully violates
this chapter or any applicable rule or regulation shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor.
7)Makes various specifications for the administration of the
program.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)On-going annual costs of approximately $500,000 in special
funds to run the program.
2)One-time, up front costs of less than $10,000 GF for the SFM
to write regulations, purchase equipment and set up the
program.
3)Negligible, non-reimbursable costs for prosecution and/or
incarceration, offset by fine revenue, for misdemeanor
violations of provisions associated with installing or
modifying a sprinkler system without having the proper
certification.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . According to the author, this bill will improve the
safety of buildings that have fire extinguishing systems by
requiring that all installation and modification of the
systems be performed by contractors who have been certified by
the SFM as having the proper education and training to work on
the systems.
In California, fire sprinklers and other automatic fire
extinguishing systems must be designed by licensed engineers,
installed by licensed contractor companies, and thereafter be
maintained, tested, and serviced by licensed servicing
companies. However, fire sprinkler fitters who actually
install fire sprinklers and other fire extinguishing systems
in high-rise buildings, hotels, apartments, hospitals,
schools, day care facilities, and even single-family
residences are not required to be licensed, registered, nor
are they required to be trained or have experience with
installing these fire safety systems.
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2)Opposition . According to California Association of Life
Safety and Fire Equipment, "The monopoly created by the bill
for fire sprinkler fitters will eliminate the competition
vital for quality service and fair prices for consumers and
will drive up costs for end users of these fire suppression
systems. The proponents of this legislation have not produced
any documented evidence of improper installations. In fact,
there are numerous review and inspection points built into the
current installation process that should ensure the final
product meets the design and functionality criteria intended."
3)Related Legislation . In 2008, AB 2288 (Torrico), a
substantially similar bill, was initially held under
submission by the Senate Appropriations Committee, then
withdrawn and returned to the Senate Rules Committee where it
died at the end of the 2007-08 session.
Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081