BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 1386
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 7, 2008

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mark Leno, Chair

                  SB 1386 (Lowenthal) - As Amended:  August 4, 2008 

          Policy Committee:                             Housing and  
          Community Development                         Vote: 5-1

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in  
          private dwelling units beginning in 2010. Specifically, this  
          bill:

          1)Defines dwelling units to include single-family homes,  
            factory-built homes, duplexes, lodging housing, dormitories,  
            hotels, motels, condominiums, cooperatives, and time-share  
            projects. It does not include units owned or leased by a state  
            or local government agency in California.

          2)Requires that all existing single-family homes have such  
            detectors by July 1, 2010.

          3)Requires that all new single-family and multiple family  
            residential units have detectors within one-year from the  
            effective date of  the 2010 edition of the California Building  
            Standards Code.

          4)Requires that all existing multiple-family dwelling units have  
            detectors within about two and one-half years after the  
            publication date of the 2010 edition of the California  
            Building Standards Code.

          5)Requires that compliance with the carbon monoxide detectors  
            requirement be included on transfer disclosure documents when  
            a dwelling is sold.

          6)Provides for a fine of up to $200 per violation, if the  
            property owner fails to correct the violation within 30 days  
            of receiving a notice of correction.








                                                                  SB 1386
                                                                 Page  2

           
          FISCAL EFFECT  

          Combined GF costs of $155,000 to the Department of Housing and  
          Community Development, State Fire Marshal, and Building  
          Standards Commission for the development and implementation of  
          new regulations.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Background  . The California Building Standards Law establishes  
            the California Building Standards Commission and a process for  
            adopting state building standards. Under this process,  
            relevant state agencies propose amendments to model building  
            codes, which the Building Standards Commission must then  
            adopt, modify, or reject. The Department of Housing and  
            Community Development is the relevant state agency for  
            residential building standards.

          2)Rationale  . The purpose of the bill is to reduce emergencies  
            and deaths associated with carbon monoxide poisoning. The  
            author's office, citing the California Air Resource Board,  
            indicates that carbon monoxide is responsible for 30 to 40  
            avoidable deaths in California each year, and asserts that  
            carbon monoxide detectors provide highly effective and low  
            cost protection against carbon monoxide poisoning. 

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Brad Williams / APPR. / (916) 319-2081