Bill Text: NJ S2904 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires Internet capable room temperature reporting device installation in certain multiple dwellings.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-04 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee [S2904 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2904-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator BRITNEE N. TIMBERLAKE
District 34 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Internet capable room temperature reporting device installation in certain multiple dwellings.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring room temperature reporting device installation in certain residential rental dwellings and supplementing P.L.1967, c.76 (C.55:13A-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Each residential rental unit of a multiple dwelling containing six or more units of dwelling space shall be equipped with an Internet capable room temperature reporting device, installed and maintained in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the commissioner. Information made available by an Internet capable room temperature reporting device installed pursuant to this section shall be accessible to the property owner and tenant of the unit in which the device is placed. A device installed pursuant to this section shall be in operation from at least October 31 through May 31.
b. A residential tenant residing in a dwelling unit subject to the requirements of this section shall have the option to refuse an Internet capable room temperature reporting device from being installed in the tenant's dwelling unit. If a tenant refuses the installation of a device, the owner shall provide notice of this refusal to the department in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted by the commissioner.
c. The rules and regulations adopted by the commissioner to effectuate the requirements of this section shall:
(1) guide the appropriate provision of notice to tenants regarding the requirements of this section, including device installation, instructions on how to access recorded information, and the tenant's right of refusal;
(2) guide multiple dwelling owners on the appropriate locations and methods of device installation, and methods of device maintenance; and
(3) provide any other necessary guidance for the effective implementation of the provisions of this section.
d. As used in this section, an "Internet capable room temperature reporting device" or "device" means a device that is capable of measuring the indoor air temperature not less than once per hour and recording the temperature, along with the date and time of the reading, for a period of time not less than the immediately preceding 90 days. The device shall be capable of making such information available through an ordinary Internet connection or through other means when no ordinary Internet connection is present.
2. The Commissioner of Community Affairs, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) on or before the first day of the fifth month next following enactment.
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the thirteenth month next following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the installation of Internet capable room temperature reporting devices in certain multiple dwellings in order to help prevent the deadly fires that are known break out as a result of the use of space heaters. Specifically, the bill would supplement the "Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law," ("HMDL") N.J.S.A.55:13A-1 et seq. to require each residential rental unit of a multiple dwelling containing six or more units of dwelling space to be equipped with an Internet capable room temperature reporting device. As used in the bill, an "Internet capable room temperature reporting device" is a device capable of measuring the indoor air temperature not less than once per hour and recording the temperature, along with the date and time of the reading, for a period of no less than the preceding 90 days. The device would be capable of making such information available through an ordinary Internet connection or other means when no Internet connection is available.
The bill directs Internet capable room temperature reporting devices to be installed and maintained in accordance with rules and regulations to be adopted by the Commissioner of Community Affairs. The bill requires information made available by an Internet capable room temperature reporting device to be accessible to the property owner and tenant of the unit in which the device is placed. The bill requires devices to be in operation from October 31 through May 31 of each year.
The bill provides a residential tenant with the option to refuse an Internet capable room temperature reporting device from being installed in the tenant's unit. If a tenant refuses the installation, then the bill requires the owner to provide notice of this refusal to the Department of Community Affairs in accordance with the rules and regulations to be adopted by the commissioner, so that the owner may avoid any potential penalty for an HMDL violation.
The bill directs the
commissioner to adopt rules and regulations to
effectuate the provisions of the bill on or before the first day of the
fifth month next following the bill's enactment.
These rules and regulations would guide the appropriate provision of
notice to tenants regarding installations, instructions on how to access
recorded information, and the tenant's right of refusal. The rules and
regulations would also guide multiple dwelling owners on the appropriate
locations and methods of device installation and maintenance, and provide any
other necessary guidance for the effective implementation of the bill.
The bill would take effect on the first day of the thirteenth month next following enactment in order to provide the department, and property owners, sufficient time to prepare for the implementation of the bill.
