HB1445eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1445 Engrossed LRB094 10091 RAS 40351 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Fire Sprinkler Contractor Licensing Act is amended by changing Sections 10 and 15 as follows:

(225 ILCS 317/10)

Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Designated certified person" means an individual who has met the qualifications set forth under Section 20 of this Act.

"Fire protection system layout documents" means and includes, but is not limited to, layout drawings, catalog information on standard products, and other construction data that provide detail on the location of risers, cross mains, branch lines, sprinklers, sizing of piping per applicable standard, and hanger locations. "Fire protection system layout documents" serve as a guide for fabrication and installation of a fire sprinkler system and shall be based upon applicable standards pursuant to Section 30 of this Act.

"Fire sprinkler contractor" means a person who holds himself or herself out to be in the business of or contracts with a person to install or repair a fire sprinkler system.

"Fire sprinkler system" means any water-based automatic fire extinguishing system employing fire sprinklers, including accessory fire pumps and associated piping, fire standpipes, or underground fire main systems starting at the connection to the water service after the approved backflow device is installed under the requirements of the Illinois Plumbing Code and ending at the most remote fire sprinkler. "Fire sprinkler system" includes but is not limited to a fire sprinkler system in a residential, commercial, institutional, educational, public, or private occupancy. "Fire sprinkler system" does not include single sprinkler heads that are in a loop of the potable water system, as referenced in 77 Ill. Adm. Code 890.1130 and 890.1200.

"Licensee" means a person or business organization licensed in accordance with this Act.

"NICET" means the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies.

"Person" means an individual, group of individuals, association, trust, partnership, corporation, person doing business under an assumed name, the State of Illinois, or department thereof, any other state-owned and operated institution, or any other entity.

"Supervision" means the direction and management by a designated certified person of the activities of non-certified personnel in the installation or repair of fire sprinkler systems.

(Source: P.A. 92-871, eff. 1-3-03.)

(225 ILCS 317/15)

Sec. 15. Licensing requirements.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person or business to engage in, advertise, or hold itself out to be in the business of installing or repairing fire sprinkler systems in this State after 6 months after the effective date of this Act, unless such person or business is licensed by the State Fire Marshal. This license must be renewed every year.

(b) In order to obtain a license, a person or business must submit an application to the State Fire Marshal, on a form provided by the State Fire Marshal containing the information prescribed, along with the application fee.

(c) A business applying for a license must have a designated certified person employed at the business location and the designated certified person shall be identified on the license application.

(d) A person or business applying for a license must show proof of having liability and property damage insurance in such amounts and under such circumstances as may be determined by the State Fire Marshal. The amount of liability and property damage insurance, however, shall not be less than the amount specified in Section 35 of this Act.

(e) A person or business applying for a license must show proof of having workers' compensation insurance covering its employees or be approved as a self-insurer of workers' compensation in accordance with the laws of this State.

(f) A person or business so licensed shall have a separate license for each business location within the State or outside the State when the business location is responsible for any installation or repair of fire sprinkler systems performed within the State.

(g) When an individual proposes to do business in her or his own name, a license, when granted, shall be issued only to that individual.

(h) If the applicant requesting licensure to engage in contracting is a business organization, such as a partnership, corporation, business trust, or other legal entity, the application shall state the name of the partnership and its partners, the name of the corporation and its officers and directors, the name of the business trust and its trustees, or the name of such other legal entity and its members and shall furnish evidence of statutory compliance if a fictitious name is used. Such application shall also show that the business entity employs a designated certified person as required under Section 20. The license, when issued upon application of a business organization, shall be in the name of the business organization and the name of the qualifying designated certified person shall be noted thereon.

(i) No license is required for a person or business that is engaged in the installation of fire sprinkler systems only in single family or multiple family residential dwellings up to and including 8 family units that do not exceed 2 1/2 stories in height from the lowest grade level.

(j) All fire protection system layout documents of fire sprinkler systems, as defined in Section 10 of this Act, shall be prepared by either (i) a professional engineer who is licensed by the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989 or (ii) a holder of a valid NICET level 3 or 4 certification in fire protection technology automatic sprinkler system layout who is licensed under this Act or employed by an organization licensed under this Act.

(Source: P.A. 92-871, eff. 1-3-03.)