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Panel approves bill giving state fire marshal authority to grant case-by-case building-code variances; members warn of local overreach
Summary
Finance Division II recommended HB 1555 to let the State Fire Marshal's office hear appeals and grant case-by-case code exceptions for building-code situations where local officials have denied variances. State Fire Marshal Sean Toomey said the office already processes variances and would rely on local input; some lawmakers said the change risks undermining local control and imposes unfunded workloads.
The committee voted to recommend HB 15 55, a bill that would authorize the State Fire Marshal's office to provide an additional, case-by-case variance or exception review to the state building code and to clarify an administrative appeal pathway beyond local decisions.
State Fire Marshal Sean Toomey testified that the language mirrors existing variance procedures in the state fire code and would provide a second-opinion option for commercial projects or municipalities that request state-level oversight. "We…
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