Bill Text: NJ A739 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes standards for housing of seasonal farm workers.
Spectrum: Unknown
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Housing Committee [A739 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A739-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman MICHAEL TORRISSI, JR.
District 8 (Atlantic and Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes standards for housing of seasonal farm workers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning seasonal farm housing and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The commissioner shall adopt, pursuant to section 5 of the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-123) and the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations establishing standards applicable exclusively to seasonal farm labor housing, in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(1) Seasonal farm labor housing shall not be occupied for more than 180 days in a year unless the housing meets standards established in the State Uniform Construction Code for non-seasonal, permanent housing.
(2) Each sleeping place in seasonal farm labor housing shall be located on the first floor.
(3) Seasonal farm labor housing shall have an occupant load limit of 50 people, which may be increased to 100 people if egress doors are positioned, not more than 75 feet apart, around the building perimeter.
(4) Seasonal farm labor housing shall have not less than two means of egress from the building.
(5) Seasonal farm labor housing shall be equipped with hard-wired, interconnected smoke alarms.
(6) Hard-wired carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed if a fuel-burning appliance is within the seasonal farm labor housing, or if garage facilities are attached to the building.
(7) A fire extinguisher shall be located within 50 feet of any point within seasonal farm labor housing.
(8) Cooking operations shall not be conducted within seasonal farm labor housing unless the cooking operations are protected by a hood that is in compliance with the mechanical subcode of the State Uniform Construction Code.
(9) Temporary or permanent bathroom facilities shall be located within 200 feet of seasonal farm labor housing.
(10) The owner or operator of seasonal farm labor housing shall obtain a certificate of occupancy, pursuant to section 15 of P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-133), for the building on an annual basis.
b. As used in this section:
"Seasonal farm labor housing" means a building consisting of housing or sleeping places provided to seasonal workers as part of a "farm labor camp," as defined in section 2 of P.L.1945, c.71 (C.34:9A-2).
"Seasonal worker" means the same as that term is defined in section 2 of P.L.1945, c.71 (C.34:9A-2).
2. On or before the first day of the sixth month next following the enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Commissioner of Community Affairs shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to modify the State Uniform Construction Code in accordance with P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment, except that the Commissioner of Community Affairs may take such anticipatory action as may be necessary to implement the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Commissioner of Community Affairs (commissioner) to revise the State Uniform Construction Code to establish certain standards applicable exclusively to seasonal farm labor housing. As used in the bill, "seasonal farm labor housing" refers to a building consisting of housing or sleeping places provided to seasonal workers as part of a farm labor camp, regulated pursuant to the Seasonal Farm Labor Act, P.L.1945, c.71 (C.34:9A-1 et seq.).
The bill requires the standards established by the commissioner to be adopted by rule and regulation, and requires that seasonal farm labor housing would:
1) not be occupied for more than 180 days in a year unless the housing meets standards established in the State Uniform Construction Code for non-seasonal, permanent housing;
2) contain sleeping places exclusively on the first floor;
3) have an occupant load limit of 50 people, which may be increased to 100 people depending on the positioning of egress doors;
4) have not less than two means of egress;
5) be equipped with hard-wired, interconnected smoke alarms;
6) have hard-wired carbon monoxide alarms installed if a fuel-burning appliance is within the building or if garage facilities are attached;
7) have a fire extinguisher located within 50 feet of any point in the building;
8) prohibit cooking operations unless a hood fixture complies with the mechanical subcode;
9) have temporary or permanent bathroom facilities located within 200 feet of the building; and
10) be required to obtain a certificate of occupancy on an annual basis.
The bill would take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment, except that the commissioner would be permitted to take such anticipatory action as may be necessary to implement the provisions of the bill.
