Bill Text - HB85 (2017)

(New Title) relative to installation requirements for arc-fault circuit interrupters.


Revision: March 30, 2017, 10:51 a.m.

HB 85 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

8Mar2017... 0016h

2017 SESSION

17-0036

05/10

 

HOUSE BILL 85

 

AN ACT relative to installation requirements for arc-fault circuit interrupters.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Proulx, Hills. 44; Rep. Beaudoin, Straf. 9; Rep. Hansen, Hills. 22; Rep. DiSilvestro, Hills. 9

 

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill permits an arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device to be replaced with a device without AFCI protection in certain circumstances.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

8Mar2017... 0016h 17-0036

05/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen

 

AN ACT relative to installation requirements for arc-fault circuit interrupters.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Section; New Hampshire Building Code; Installation of Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters; Exception.  Amend RSA 155-A by inserting after section 3-b the following new section:

155-A:3-c  Installation of Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI); Exception.  

I.  Notwithstanding any provision of the state building code or state fire code requiring the installation of arc-fault circuit interrupters, after repeated tripping of an AFCI device and determination the branch circuit is not causing the AFCI to trip, an AFCI device may be replaced with one without AFCI protection in accordance with this section.

II.  All receptacle outlets supplied by the branch circuit without AFCI protection shall be marked “No AFCI Protection.”

III.  Incident reports shall be filed by registered letter or email with a read receipt requested:

(a)  By the property owner to all occupants as applicable; and

(b)  By the electrician with the electricians’ board if he or she is performing the replacement.

IV.  The time periods for the AFCI device replacement and incident reporting shall be as follows:

(a)  The device without AFCI protection shall be permitted to remain in place for the period of time it takes for the manufacturer to resolve the matter.

(b)  The incident report shall be postmarked within 5 working days or by email with an electronic read receipt request within 5 working days of replacing the AFCI device.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2018.