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<section article="gps" article_name="Public Safety" number="6-206" title_number="6" title_name="State Fire Prevention Commission and State Fire Marshal" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="State Fire Prevention Commission">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>To protect life and property from the hazards of fire and explosion, the Commission shall adopt comprehensive regulations as a State Fire Prevention Code.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The State Fire Prevention Code shall comply with standard safe practice as embodied in widely recognized standards of good practice for fire prevention and fire protection.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The State Fire Prevention Code has the force and effect of law in the political subdivisions of the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the regulations adopted under this subsection do not apply to existing installations, plants, or equipment.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the Commission determines that an installation, plant, or equipment is a hazard so harmful to the public safety as to require correction, the regulations adopted under this subsection apply to the installation, plant, or equipment.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Regulations adopted under this subsection shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>incorporate by reference sections 30.7.5 and 31.7.5 of the National Fire Protection Association 101 Life Safety Code (2024 Edition); and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>permit trash and recycling materials awaiting scheduled collection to be placed in corridors and exits in accordance with the provisions described in item (i) of this paragraph.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Commission shall adopt regulations to establish and administer a fee schedule for:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>reviewing building plans to ensure compliance with the State Fire Prevention Code; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>conducting inspections in accordance with Subtitle 3 of this title.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission shall review the fee schedule annually to ensure that the money collected at least covers the costs of administering plan review and conducting inspections.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>This subsection does not limit the authority of a local authority to establish a fee schedule for plan review and inspections conducted by the local authority.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Before adopting a regulation, the Commission shall hold at least one public hearing on the proposed regulation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Commission shall publish notice of the hearing at least 15 days before the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the State.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>At the same time, the Commission shall send a copy of the notice to each person who has filed a request for notification with the Commission.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The notice shall contain the time, place, and subject of the hearing and the place and times to examine the proposed regulation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State Fire Prevention Code establishes the minimum requirements to protect life and property from the hazards of fire and explosion.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a State or local law or regulation is more stringent than the State Fire Prevention Code, the more stringent law or regulation governs if the more stringent law or regulation is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>not inconsistent with the State Fire Prevention Code; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>not contrary to recognized standards and good engineering practices.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If there is a question whether a State or local law or regulation governs, the decision of the Commission determines:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>which law or regulation governs; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>whether State and local officials have complied with the State Fire Prevention Code.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Commission shall make available for public information a copy of the State Fire Prevention Code, and any amendments to the State Fire Prevention Code, in each county courthouse in the State.</text>
  </level>
</section>
