LD 2224

APPROVED  CHAPTER
  APRIL 13, 2026  657
  BY GOVERNOR  PUBLIC LAW
  STATE OF MAINE
  _____
  IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
  TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
  _____
  S.P. 907 - L.D. 2224
  An Act to Reduce Certain Costs Associated with Residential Construction
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
   Sec. 1. 10 MRSA §9722, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2025, c. 597, Pt. A, §9, is
further amended to read:
    2. Membership. The board consists of 12 13 members, including the Director of the
Efficiency Maine Trust, who serves ex officio and may not vote, and the following 11 12
individuals, who are voting members appointed by the Governor:
   A. The State Fire Marshal or a designee or a fire chief, recommended by the Maine
   Fire Chiefs' Association or its successor organization;
   B. A municipal code enforcement officer employed by a municipality that is not a
   service center community under Title 30‑A, chapter 187, recommended by the Maine
   Municipal Association or its successor organization;
   C. A municipal code enforcement officer employed by a service center community
   under Title 30‑A, chapter 187, recommended by the Maine Service Centers Coalition
   or its successor organization;
   D. A residential builder recommended by a statewide or regional association of home
   builders and remodelers;
   E. A commercial builder recommended by a statewide association of general
   contractors;
   F. An architect licensed in the State who is accredited by a nationally recognized
   organization that administers credentialing programs related to environmentally sound
   building practices and standards, recommended by a statewide chapter of a national
   institute of architects;
   G. A structural engineer licensed in the State, recommended by a statewide association
   of structural engineers;
   H. A historic preservation representative, recommended by the Maine Historic
   Preservation Commission, with experience implementing the standards for the
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    treatment of historic properties set forth in 36 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 68
    (2007), who is:
        (1) An architect licensed in the State;
        (2) A structural engineer licensed in the State; or
        (3) A builder;
    I. An energy efficiency representative, recommended by the Commissioner of Energy
    Resources, who has experience or expertise in the design or implementation of energy
    codes or in the application of energy efficiency measures in residential or commercial
    construction;
    J. A mechanical engineer licensed in the State, recommended by a statewide
    association of mechanical engineers; and
    K. A lumber material dealer or supplier, recommended by a statewide association of
    lumber dealers in the State.; and
    L. An affordable housing expert, recommended by a statewide association
    representing affordable housing interests.
A member appointed under this subsection must have at least 5 years' experience in the
field that member is nominated to represent and must be employed in that field.
    Sec. 2. Technical Building Codes and Standards Board; hoistway fire
safety rulemaking; report. By September 1, 2026, the Technical Building Codes and
Standards Board, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 12004-G,
subsection 5-A, shall initiate rulemaking to remove any requirements in the Maine Uniform
Building and Energy Code for smoke and draft protection assemblies for elevator hoistway
doors and remove requirements for 2-way emergency video communication systems in
elevators. The board shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having
jurisdiction over housing matters on the outcome of rulemaking required by this section by
January 15, 2027. The joint standing committee is authorized to submit legislation based
on the board's report to the 133rd Legislature in 2027.
   Sec. 3. Office of State Fire Marshal to update standards in accordance with
National Fire Protection Association standards update. The Department of Public
Safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal shall update the state-adopted National Fire
Protection Association standards by adopting the 2025 edition of the National Fire
Protection Association 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
    Sec. 4. Office of State Fire Marshal to convene working group to study
costs and life safety impacts of fire sprinklers and limited use limited
application elevators; report. The Department of Public Safety, Office of the State
Fire Marshal shall convene a working group, referred to in this section as "the working
group," to study the housing and life safety impacts of residential fire sprinklers and the
accessibility and life safety impacts of permitting limited use limited application elevators
in 2-story and 3-story buildings. In conducting its work, the working group shall explore
ways to lower the costs associated with the requirement that construction of residential
housing include fire sprinkler systems.
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    1. The State Fire Marshal or the State Fire Marshal's designee shall invite the
participation in the working group of the following persons: a representative from the fire
sprinkler industry; a municipal fire safety officer; a representative from the housing
development industry; and any additional persons considered necessary by the State Fire
Marshal to ensure comprehensive stakeholder representation.
    2. The working group shall:
    A. Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing sprinkler system requirements for
    residential buildings with 3 or more units and the affiliated costs of the sprinkler
    systems;
    B. Collect and analyze data on the housing and life safety impacts of residential fire
    sprinkler systems, including, but not limited to, the frequency of the presence of
    sprinkler systems in reported house fires and the estimated impact on financial loss and
    life safety impact;
    C. Explore innovative incentives to reduce the associated costs of installing sprinkler
    systems in residential construction;
    D. Develop recommendations for legislative and regulatory changes to reduce the
    costs of installing required residential sprinkler systems;
    E. Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing elevator requirements and the
    affiliated costs for residential buildings with 4 or more units;
    F. Collect and analyze data on the accessibility and life safety impacts of limited use
    limited application elevators in buildings with fewer than 4 stories; and
    G. If determined appropriate by working group members, develop recommendations
    for legislative and regulatory changes to the codes and standards permitting limited use
    limited application elevators.
    3. The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall provide staff assistance to the working
group.
    4. By January 15, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall submit a report on
the working group's findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing matters. The
joint standing committee is authorized to submit legislation based on the report to the 133rd
Legislature in 2027.
   Sec. 5. Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Office of
Professional and Occupational Regulation to report on rulemaking. No later
than January 15, 2027, the Director of the Office of Professional and Occupational
Regulation within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation shall report to
the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing matters
regarding the status of the adoption of rules for the elevator and tramway safety program
within the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation pursuant to the Maine
Revised Statutes, Title 32, section 15205-A, subsection 2. The committee is authorized to
report out legislation related to the report required by this section to the 133rd Legislature
in 2027.
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