AB 445

Subject to certain limitations discussed below, this bill provides an exception

to the commercial building code that allows the owner of a church constructed before

January 1, 1919, to install and operate a stairway chair lift in the church if all of the

following are satisfied:

1. Each floor level connected by the stairway in which the stairway chair lift

is installed has at least one other stairway or other type of fire escape that provides

safe egress.

2. The installation and operation of the stairway chair lift complies with the

requirements under state statutes and rules promulgated by the Department of

Safety and Professional Services related to elevators and other conveyances, other

than requirements related to a minimum required stairway width.

Under current law, DSPS has general authority to promulgate rules necessary

to ensure that public buildings and places of employment are safe. Those rules are

commonly called the commercial building code.

The bill also provides that, if the chief of the local fire department or, if the city,

village, or town in which the church is located does not have a local fire department,

DSPS determines that the installation or operation of a stairway chair lift as allowed

under the bill may create an unsafe condition, the chief or DSPS may require the

owner of the church, as a condition of installing or operating the stairway chair lift,

to comply with other measures determined by the chief or DSPS to be necessary for

safety.