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Substitute House Bill No. 5401
Public Act No. 26-58
AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO THE STATE BUILDING
CODE, STATE FIRE PREVENTION CODE AND FIRE SAFETY CODE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 29 -252 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
1, 2026):
(a) (1) The State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards
Committee shall, jointly, with the approval of the Commissioner of
Administrative Services and in accordance with the provisions of
section 29-252b, adopt and administer a State Building Code based on a
nationally recognized model building code for the purpose of regulating
the design, construction and use of buildings or structures to be erected
and the alteration of buildings or structures already erected and make
such amendments thereto as they, from time to time, deem necessary or
desirable. Such amendments shall be limited to administrative matters,
geotechnical and weather-related portions of said code, amendments to
said code necessitated by a provision of the general statutes and any
other matter which, based on substantial evidence, necessitates an
amendment to said code. The [code] State Building Code shall be
revised as deemed necessary to incorporate any subsequent revisions to
the nationally recognized model building code not later than [eighteen
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months] two years following the date of first publication of such
subsequent revisions to the nationally recognized model building code,
provided no revisions to the State Building Code shall be required after
the first publication of revisions to the 2024 nationally recognized model
code and prior to the first publication of revisions to the 2030 nationally
recognized model code. The purpose of [said] the State Building Code
shall also include, but not be limited to, promoting and ensuring that
such buildings and structures are designed and constructed in such a
manner as to conserve energy and, wherever practicable, facilitate the
use of renewable energy resources, including provisions for electric
circuits capable of supporting electric vehicle charging i n any newly
constructed residential garage in any code adopted after July 8, 2013.
[Said] The State Building Code includes any code, rule or regulation
incorporated therein by reference. As used in this subsection,
"geotechnical" means any geological condi tion, such as soil and
subsurface soil condition, which may affect the structural characteristics
of a building or structure.
(2) In adopting amendments to the State Building Code pursuant to
subdivision (1) of this subsection, the State Building Inspector, the
Codes and Standards Committee and the Commissioner of
Administrative Services shall consider that the housing shortage in the
state compromises the safety of residents who cannot afford a safe
home, and any such amendments shall encourage production of
buildings that include safe housing and c an be constructed at a
reasonable cost.
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 29 -291a of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
1, 2026):
(a) The State Fire Marshal, in coordination with the advisory
committee established under subsection (b) of this section and in
accordance with the provisions of section 29 -291e, shall adopt and
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administer a State Fire Prevention Code based on a nationally
recognized fire code. The [code] State Fire Prevention Code shall be
used to enhance the enforcement capabilities of local fire marshals and
for the purposes of prevention of fire and other related emergencies. The
[code] State Fire Prevention Code shall be revised as deemed necessary
to incorporate any subsequent revisions to the nationally recognized fire
code not later than [eighteen months] two years following the date of
first publication of such revisions, provided no revisions to the State Fire
Prevention Code shall be required after the first publication of the
revisions to the 2024 nationally recognized fire code and prior to the first
publication of the revisions to the 2030 nationally recognized fire code.
The [code] State Fire Prevention Code shall include provisions for oil
burners, flammable and combustible liquids, gas equipment and piping,
liquefied gas and liquefied natural gas, hazardous chemicals, and
processes and activities tha t occur in all buildings and structures
regulated by the code and the areas adjacent to such buildings and
structures.
Sec. 3. Subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 29-292 of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof
(Effective October 1, 2026):
(a) (1) The State Fire Marshal and the Codes and Standards
Committee shall adopt and administer a Fire Safety Code and at any
time may amend the same in accordance with the provisions of section
29-292a. The [code] Fire Safety Code shall be based on nationally
recognized model fire and life safety codes and shall be revised as
deemed necessary to incorporate advances in technologies and
improvements in construction materials and any subsequent revisions
to the model fire and life sa fety codes not later than [eighteen months]
two years following the date of first publication of such revisions, unless
the State Fire Marshal and the committee certify that a revision is not
necessary for such purpose and provided no revisions to the Fire Safety
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Code shall be required after the first publication of the revisions to the
2024 model fire and life safety codes and prior to the first publication of
the revisions to the 2030 model fire and life safety codes. The code shall
provide for reasonable safety from fire, smoke and panic therefrom, in
all buildings, structures and areas adjacent to such buildings and
structures, except in private dwellings occupied by one or two families
and upon all premises. The co de shall require (A) carbon monoxide
detection and warning equipment in (i) new residential buildings not
exempt under the code and designed to be occupied by one or two
families for which a building permit for new occupancy is issued on or
after October 1, 2005, and (ii) all public or nonpublic school buildings,
and (B) smoke detection and warning equipment in residential
buildings designed to be occupied by one or more families.
Sec. 4. ( Effective October 1, 2026 ) Not later than January 1, 2029, the
Commissioner of Administrative Services, in consultation with the State
Building Inspector, Codes and Standards Committee and State Fire
Marshal, shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11 -4a of the general statutes, to the speaker of the House of
Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority
leader of the House of Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate,
the minority leader of the House of Representatives, the minority leader
of the Senate and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly
having cognizance of matters relating to public safety and security. Such
report shall include, but need not be limited to, the effects of extending
the cycle for revisions to the State Building Code pursuant to section 29-
252 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, the State Fire
Prevention Code pursuant to section 29 -291a of the general statutes, as
amended by this act, an d the Fire Safety Code pursuant to section 29 -
292 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and any
recommendations for amendments to the cycle for revisions to said
codes.
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