Bill Text: NJ S1328 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires health care facilities be built according to Type I or Type II construction standards.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-10 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee [S1328 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S1328-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Requires health care facilities be built according to Type I or Type II construction standards.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing certain standards for health care facilities construction 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. As used in this section:
Health care facility" means the facility or institution, whether public or private, that is engaged principally in providing services for health maintenance organizations, diagnosis, or treatment of human disease, pain, injury, deformity, or physical condition, including, but not limited to, a general hospital, special hospital, mental hospital, public health center, diagnostic center, treatment center, rehabilitation center, extended care facility, skilled nursing home, nursing home, intermediate care facility, assisted living facility, tuberculosis hospital, chronic disease hospital, maternity hospital, outpatient clinic, dispensary, home health care agency, residential health care facility, dementia care home, and bioanalytical laboratory (except as specifically excluded hereunder), or central services facility serving one or more such institutions but excluding institutions that provide healing solely by prayer and excluding such bioanalytical laboratories as are independently owned and operated, and are not owned, operated, managed, or controlled, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly by any one or more health care facilities, and the predominant source of business of which is not by contract with health care facilities within the State of New Jersey and which solicit or accept specimens and operate predominantly in interstate commerce.
b. Except as provided for in subsection c. of this section, a health care facility shall be built with noncombustible materials as defined by section 703.5 of the 2018 International Building Code or fire resistive materials in accordance with the requirements of Type I or Type II construction as defined by section 602.2 of the 2018 International Building Code.
c. Combustible materials shall only be used in the construction of a health care facility if permitted under section 603 of the 2018 International Building Code. The use of fire-retardant treated wood shall be prohibited in the construction of a health care facility.
d. The commissioner, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section, and may adopt a health care facility construction subcode or propose amendments to revise the appropriate model code adopted pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-123), for the purpose of establishing adequate and appropriate standards for health care facility construction.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require that a health care facility be built with noncombustible materials as defined by section 703.5 of the 2018 International Building Code, or fire resistive materials, in accordance with the requirements of Type I or Type II construction as defined by section 602.2 of the 2018 International Building Code.
Type I construction requires the use of fire resistant materials to prevent fires from burning and spreading at an accelerated pace. Type I structures are constructed of concrete and protected steel coated with a fire-resistant material, most often a concrete mixture, and are designed to resist fire for an extended amount of time. Type II construction requires the use of noncombustible materials to reduce the likelihood of a fire. The walls and roofs of a type II structure are constructed of non-combustible materials, specifically reinforced masonry.
Due to the limited mobility of health care facility patients, specifically those in hospitals and nursing homes, these facilities should be built to Type I or Type II construction standards to reduce the likelihood of a fire and provide sufficient evacuation time for patients in the event of a fire.
