Permits single exit stairwells in certain new residential buildings under State Uniform Construction Code.

A1536

ASSEMBLY, No. 1536

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE

District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Brennan

SYNOPSIS

���� Permits single exit stairwells in certain new
residential buildings under State Uniform Construction Code.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
concerning stairwell requirements for certain new
residential buildings and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� a.� As used in this
section:

���� "Group R-2 occupancy"
means a residential occupancy containing sleeping units or more than two
dwelling units where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature.

���� b.� Notwithstanding any
provision of the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217
(C.52:27D-119 et seq.), the State Uniform Construction Code, or any other
provision of law to the contrary, the governing body of a municipality may
adopt an ordinance or resolution to allow a single exit stairway to serve no
more than six stories of a Group R-2 occupancy in the same building.� The first
floor of such a structure may be used for a purpose other than residential use,
provided that use is classified by the commissioner as a nonhazardous occupancy
and is served by entrances that are separate from those serving the residential
floors.� This section shall apply to new applications for development of
residential structures submitted on or after the effective date of
P.L. , c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).

���� c.� Notwithstanding the
limitations established in section 1 of P.L.2011, c.215 (C.52:14B-3a)
concerning the use of regulatory guidance documents, and pursuant to section 1
of P.L.2011, c.215 (C.52:14B-3a), the Commissioner of Community Affairs shall
adopt a regulatory guidance publication for the governing body of a
municipality, and publish the regulatory guidance on the Internet website of
the Department of Community Affairs, which regulatory guidance shall include a
model ordinance for the governing body of a municipality to utilize when acting
pursuant to the subsection b. of this section.�

���� 2.� This act shall take effect
on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment,
except the Commissioner of Community Affairs shall be permitted to take
anticipatory action necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.�

STATEMENT

���� This bill would permit the
governing body of a municipality to adopt an ordinance or resolution to allow a
single exit stairway to serve a residential building of less than six stories
for a Group R-2 occupancy, as defined in the bill, notwithstanding any
provision of the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217
(C.52:27D-119 et seq.), the State Uniform Construction Code, or any other
provision of law to the contrary.� The bill specifies that the first floor of
such a structure may be used for a purpose other than residential use, provided
that use is classified by the Commissioner of Community Affairs as a
nonhazardous occupancy and served by entrances that are separate from those
serving the residential floors.� The requirements of the bill would only apply to
new applications for development of residential structures submitted on or
after the effective date of the bill.

���� The bill requires the
Commissioner of Community Affairs to adopt a regulatory guidance publication
for the governing body of a municipality and publish the guidance on the
Internet website of the Department of Community Affairs, which is required by
the bill to include a model ordinance for the governing body of a municipality
to utilize when acting pursuant to the authority granted under the bill.�

���� � The bill would take effect
on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment,
except the Commissioner of Community Affairs would be permitted to take
anticipatory action necessary to effectuate the provisions of the bill.