71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 4089
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                         House Bill 3386
                   Ordered by the House May 22
             Including House Amendments dated May 22
 
Sponsored by Representative KRUMMEL (at the request of Tualatin
  Valley Fire and Rescue)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
 
  Allows fire districts to pay or repay landlord   { - all or - }
part of cost of installing fire safety systems in existing
multifamily housing. { +  Limits payment to no more than 50
percent of cost of installing system. Provides other limits on
amount of payment. + }
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to fire safety systems.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1.  { + The Legislative Assembly finds and declares
that:
  (1) The best interest of the state is served by providing
financial incentives for the installation of fire safety systems
in multifamily housing.
  (2) The design and nature of multifamily housing creates a
higher fire risk than the risk to single family housing and
exposes tenants to fire risks that are not within the control of
the tenants.
  (3) The presence of fire safety systems helps to defray costs
for fire district equipment and equipment maintenance.
  (4) Although the state building code allows local jurisdictions
to require the installation of fire safety systems in new
construction on a cost-neutral basis, there is no equivalent
program for retrofitting or remodeling existing multifamily
structures.
  (5) A fire safety incentive program serves the purpose of
providing financial incentive for the installation of fire safety
systems in existing multifamily housing. + }
  SECTION 2.  { + (1) As used in this section:
  (a) 'District' means a rural fire protection district organized
pursuant to ORS chapter 478.
  (b) 'Fire safety system' means a device or series of devices
that protects structures from damage or destruction by fire,
protects people from injury by fire or minimizes the effects of
fire. 'Fire safety system' includes, but is not limited to,
automatic fire sprinkler systems.
 
  (c) 'Multifamily housing' means a structure established
primarily to provide residential spaces and that provides more
than one living unit. 'Multifamily housing' does not include
nursing homes, adult foster homes, hospitals, motels or hotels,
dormitories or state institutions.
  (d) 'Owner' includes a purchaser under a recorded instrument of
sale.
  (2) A district may, by ordinance, establish a program that pays
or repays to landlords part of the costs of installing fire
safety systems in multifamily housing existing within the
district on the effective date of the ordinance. Except as
provided in this subsection, the district may establish the
parameters of the program. A payment or repayment rate under the
program may not exceed 50 percent of the cost of installing the
fire safety system. The payment or repayment amount available for
a property may not exceed the total amount paid during the
preceding 10 years for all property taxes on the property, less
any payment or repayment amount already provided for fire safety
system installation on the property. The program must provide for
the owner of the multifamily housing to apply on a form approved
by the district. The program must include a uniform process for
the evaluation of an application submitted by the owner of the
multifamily housing. The uniform process must provide for a
public hearing to determine whether the property qualifies for
payment or repayment by the district. + }
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