95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB1479

 

Introduced 2/21/2007, by Rep. Daniel J. Burke

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
225 ILCS 317/10
225 ILCS 317/15

    Amends the Fire Sprinkler Contractor Licensing Act. Makes a change to the definition of "fire protection system layout documents". Provides that all design drawings and design specifications (design documents) of engineered sprinkler systems must be stamped by a licensed professional engineer or a licensed architect. Provides that all fire protection system layout documents and shop drawings (now, just fire protection system layout documents) of fire sprinkler systems shall be prepared based on the design documents for approval and submittal (now, there is no requirement of basis documents) by (i) a licensed professional engineer, (ii) a licensed architect, or (iii) a holder of a valid NICET level 3 or 4 certification in fire protection technology automatic sprinkler system layout who is licensed under the Act or employed by an organization licensed under the Act.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB1479 LRB095 11221 RAS 31667 b

1     AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Fire Sprinkler Contractor Licensing Act is
5 amended by changing Sections 10 and 15 as follows:
 
6     (225 ILCS 317/10)
7     Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the
8 context otherwise requires:
9     "Design drawings and design specifications (design
10 documents) of engineered sprinkler systems" means design
11 documents that consist of those criteria necessary to establish
12 the objectives and criteria of the system, including without
13 limitation items concerning (i) the identification of the
14 building use; (ii) the scope of the work, occupancy, and hazard
15 classification; (iii) the identification of the codes and
16 standards to be followed; and (iv) the system type and
17 preliminary hydraulics to establish the adequacy of the water
18 supply for the proposed system.
19     "Designated certified person" means an individual who has
20 met the qualifications set forth under Section 20 of this Act.
21     "Fire protection system layout documents" means layout or
22 shop drawings, catalog information on standard products, and
23 other construction data that provide detail on the location of

 

 

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1 risers, cross mains, branch lines, sprinklers, piping per
2 applicable standard, and hanger locations. "Fire protection
3 system layout documents" serve as a guide for fabrication and
4 installation of a fire sprinkler system and shall be based upon
5 applicable standards pursuant to Section 30 of this Act.
6     "Fire sprinkler contractor" means a person who holds
7 himself or herself out to be in the business of or contracts
8 with a person to install or repair a fire sprinkler system.
9     "Fire sprinkler system" means any water-based automatic
10 fire extinguishing system employing fire sprinklers, including
11 accessory fire pumps and associated piping, fire standpipes, or
12 underground fire main systems starting at the connection to the
13 water service after the approved backflow device is installed
14 under the requirements of the Illinois Plumbing Code and ending
15 at the most remote fire sprinkler. "Fire sprinkler system"
16 includes but is not limited to a fire sprinkler system in a
17 residential, commercial, institutional, educational, public,
18 or private occupancy. "Fire sprinkler system" does not include
19 single sprinkler heads that are in a loop of the potable water
20 system, as referenced in 77 Ill. Adm. Code 890.1130 and
21 890.1200.
22     "Licensee" means a person or business organization
23 licensed in accordance with this Act.
24     "NICET" means the National Institute for Certification in
25 Engineering Technologies.
26     "Person" means an individual, group of individuals,

 

 

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1 association, trust, partnership, corporation, person doing
2 business under an assumed name, the State of Illinois, or
3 department thereof, any other state-owned and operated
4 institution, or any other entity.
5     "Supervision" means the direction and management by a
6 designated certified person of the activities of non-certified
7 personnel in the installation or repair of fire sprinkler
8 systems.
9 (Source: P.A. 94-367, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
10     (225 ILCS 317/15)
11     Sec. 15. Licensing requirements.
12     (a) It shall be unlawful for any person or business to
13 engage in, advertise, or hold itself out to be in the business
14 of installing or repairing fire sprinkler systems in this State
15 after 6 months after the effective date of this Act, unless
16 such person or business is licensed by the State Fire Marshal.
17 This license must be renewed every year.
18     (b) In order to obtain a license, a person or business must
19 submit an application to the State Fire Marshal, on a form
20 provided by the State Fire Marshal containing the information
21 prescribed, along with the application fee.
22     (c) A business applying for a license must have a
23 designated certified person employed at the business location
24 and the designated certified person shall be identified on the
25 license application.

 

 

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1     (d) A person or business applying for a license must show
2 proof of having liability and property damage insurance in such
3 amounts and under such circumstances as may be determined by
4 the State Fire Marshal. The amount of liability and property
5 damage insurance, however, shall not be less than the amount
6 specified in Section 35 of this Act.
7     (e) A person or business applying for a license must show
8 proof of having workers' compensation insurance covering its
9 employees or be approved as a self-insurer of workers'
10 compensation in accordance with the laws of this State.
11     (f) A person or business so licensed shall have a separate
12 license for each business location within the State or outside
13 the State when the business location is responsible for any
14 installation or repair of fire sprinkler systems performed
15 within the State.
16     (g) When an individual proposes to do business in her or
17 his own name, a license, when granted, shall be issued only to
18 that individual.
19     (h) If the applicant requesting licensure to engage in
20 contracting is a business organization, such as a partnership,
21 corporation, business trust, or other legal entity, the
22 application shall state the name of the partnership and its
23 partners, the name of the corporation and its officers and
24 directors, the name of the business trust and its trustees, or
25 the name of such other legal entity and its members and shall
26 furnish evidence of statutory compliance if a fictitious name

 

 

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1 is used. Such application shall also show that the business
2 entity employs a designated certified person as required under
3 Section 20. The license, when issued upon application of a
4 business organization, shall be in the name of the business
5 organization and the name of the qualifying designated
6 certified person shall be noted thereon.
7     (i) No license is required for a person or business that is
8 engaged in the installation of fire sprinkler systems only in
9 single family or multiple family residential dwellings up to
10 and including 8 family units that do not exceed 2 1/2 stories
11 in height from the lowest grade level.
12     (i-5) All design drawings and design specifications
13 (design documents) of engineered sprinkler systems, as defined
14 in Section 10 of this Act, must be stamped by a professional
15 engineer licensed under the Professional Engineering Act of
16 1989 or an architect licensed under the Illinois Architecture
17 Practice Act of 1989.
18     (j) All fire protection system layout documents and shop
19 drawings of fire sprinkler systems, as defined in Section 10 of
20 this Act, shall be prepared based on the design documents for
21 approval and submittal by (i) a professional engineer who is
22 licensed under the Professional Engineering Practice Act of
23 1989, (ii) an architect who is licensed under the Illinois
24 Architecture Practice Act of 1989, or (iii) a holder of a valid
25 NICET level 3 or 4 certification in fire protection technology
26 automatic sprinkler system layout who is either licensed under

 

 

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1 this Act or employed by an organization licensed under this
2 Act.
3 (Source: P.A. 94-367, eff. 1-1-06.)