Bill Text - HB85 (2017)

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


Revision: Jan. 31, 2017, 8:03 a.m.

HB 85 - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2017 SESSION

17-0036

05/10

 

HOUSE BILL 85

 

AN ACT relative to installation requirements for arc-fault circuit interrupters and relative to the state building code review board.

 

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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ANALYSIS

 

This bill:

 

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

 

II.  Provides that any rule adopted by the state building code review board relative to applications for permits under the International Residential Code shall require only such information as is reasonably required for the building inspector to act on the application.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

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 and relative to the state building code review board.

 

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  New Paragraph; State Building Code Review Board; Permit Application.  Amend RSA 155-A:10 by inserting after paragraph VI the following new paragraph:

VI-a.  Any rule adopted by the state building code review board based on section R105.3 of the 2009 edition, or a later edition, of the International Residential Code shall require an application for permit to include only such additional data and information as is reasonably required by the building inspector to act on the application.

3  Effective Date.  

I.  Section 1 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2018.

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.