Milwaukee committee staff told the Judiciary and Legislation Committee on Oct. 27 that city and state lawmakers are introducing three bills aimed at identifying and increasing fire suppression systems in large residential buildings following a recent apartment fire that caused multiple deaths.

The city’s legislative presenter said the package — sponsored in the Common Council by Alderman Michael J. (Pratt) and Alderman Milele A. Coggs and supported by state partners — includes a statewide audit of sprinkler systems (LRB 4073), restoration of municipal authority to set local standards (LRB 4166), and a landlord grant program to cover up to half the cost of installing suppression systems (LRB 4075). “The first legislation, was is LRB 4,073. We're requiring the state department of safety and professional services to conduct an audit of fire sprinkler systems in certain residential buildings,” the presenter said. “This would require the state...to do a, audit of every, residential building that is at least 17 units or larger and is 3 stories or taller, to have an audit done to figure out, do they have any fire suppression systems in there?”

Why it matters: committee members said they want better data on how many multiunit buildings lack sprinklers so the city and state can target outreach and incentives. The presenter said the audit’s purpose is “to help us and the state understand what is the depth of the issue” and noted the parameters (17 units and three stories) are intended to limit the universe for a practicable statewide audit.

Details of the bills and discussion

- LRB 4073 (audit): directs the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services to audit residential buildings that meet the stated size thresholds to determine presence of fire suppression systems. The presenter said the bill assigns the cost of that audit to the state, though a fiscal note has not yet been produced. “That that would once the bill is introduced, the state would work on a fiscal note,” the presenter said.

- LRB 4166 (local control): would allow counties, cities, villages and towns to enact and enforce ordinances related to fire detection, prevention and suppression in dwellings as defined by statute 101.61; committee discussion noted the city attorney would need to review how grandfathering or retrofit requirements might be implemented under home-rule authority.

- LRB 4075 (landlord grant program): would create a $5,000,000 state-administered grant program to cover up to 50% of the cost for landlords to install sprinkler or other suppression systems or extinguishers in qualifying residential properties. The presenter used a hypothetical: if an installation cost $10,000, a landlord could apply for up to a $5,000 state grant.

Committee members asked how statewide implementation would affect Milwaukee and whether the state has capacity to perform the audit. One member asked, “Is this City Milwaukee only, or is it entire state?” The presenter replied, “I believe it is, state wide.” Committee members also pressed on fiscal impacts; the presenter confirmed a fiscal note will follow introduction and that the state could contract with the city’s Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) for local knowledge but that the bill directs the audit function to the state and states the cost is borne by the state.

Passage prospects and next steps

Presenters and members acknowledged the bills may face a difficult path in the current legislative session in Madison but said drafting and filing them establishes policy options to pursue in future sessions. The presenter said city partners — including Chief Lipsky, Alderman Pratt and Alderman Coggs — have prioritized fire safety and thanked state sponsors for quick support, noting Senator Latonya Johnson showed “an immediate interest, as that property was in her district.”

The committee did not take a final vote on the three state bills during the meeting; presenters said the bills would be introduced at a 10 a.m. press conference and that the city will continue advocacy at the state level.