The amended version of SB 5284 passed the Senate unanimously. The original bill appeared to include an unfunded mandate on city fire departments to enforce the installation of a smoke detection device prior to the sale of a home. The bill, known as the Greg “Gibby” Gibson Home Fire Safety Act, does the following:

• Requires property sellers to provide at least one smoke detection device before the buyer occupies the house;
• Imposes $200 fine on sellers who fail to comply;
• Imposes a $5,000 fine if a property owner fails to install a smoke detection device and a fire causes property damage, personal injury, or death to a tenant or a member of a tenant's household;
• Both the existing $200 fine for not maintaining a smoke detection device and the $5,000 fine created in the bill are to be deposited into the Smoke Detection Device Awareness Account;
• Establishes that insurers consider credits and discounts for smoke alarms; and
• Requires the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to report on the use of discounts and credits by December 31, 2020.

AWC supports the bill.

Dates to remember

HB 5284 is scheduled for a hearing in the House Consumer Protection & Business Committee on Wednesday, March 20 at 1:30 pm.