Missouri Senate

House Committee Substitute

SECTION 178.530 - AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS

The act requires the State Board of Education to establish standards for agricultural education that may be adopted by a private school. The standards must be sufficient to allow a private school to apply to host a local chapter of a national agricultural education association.

This section is similar to HB 1953 (2012).

SECTIONS 320.400 TO 320.416 - FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

This act allows contractors who engage in the installation of fire sprinkler systems or service fire sprinkler systems to apply for a certificate of registration. The registration statutes and rules have uniform effect throughout the state. Municipalities, counties, and other local governmental bodies are authorized to enact or enforce their own registration or licensing requirements.

The State Fire Marshal is given authority to promulgate rules. Such rules shall concern the procedure for filing an application, applicable fees, and procedures for reciprocity with other states.

A contractor that applies with the state fire marshal for a certificate of registration must pay an application fee. The fees will be deposited in the Fire Sprinkler Contractor Registration Fund. The act also sets out the requirements that a contractor must meet to obtain a certificate of registration.

Certificates of registration are valid for two years and are not transferable. A fee shall be charged for duplicate certificates or changes to a certificate. A contractor holding itself out as a certified fire sprinkler contractor must display its certificate in a conspicuous place in the contractor's business. The State Fire Marshal is obligated to send out written notice at least thirty days prior to a certificate expiring.

The State Fire Marshal shall not issue a certificate of registration unless the applicant files evidence of general liability insurance of not less than one million dollars per year for all occurrences.

The State Fire Marshal is authorized to file a disciplinary complaint against certified contractors for specific violations. After the Administrative Hearing Commission finds that grounds for discipline are met, the state fire marshal may place the contractor on probation, or suspend or revoke the contractor's certification.

The State Fire Marshal is authorized to seek an injunction against persons or organization holding themselves out as being certified when they do not hold a certificate of registration.

This act is similar to SCS/SB 860 (2012), HB 1904 (2012), SB 397 (2011), SB 927 (2010) and HB 2132(2010).

SECTION 321.228 - RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION REGULATORY SYSTEMS

This act prohibits a fire protection district from enforcing any regulations dealing with new residential construction if the city, town, village, or county in which the construction is located has already adopted regulations for such construction.

Fire protection districts, do, however, have final regulatory authority over the location and specifications of fire hydrants and fire lanes as relating to residential construction and may inspect certain dwellings. They may not collect a fee for such services.

This provision is similar HCS/HB 1458 (2012) and a provision of SCS/HCS/HB 1623 (2012).

SECTION 701.550 - ANEMOMETER TOWERS

The act requires certain safety marking of anemometer towers (wind speed testing towers) that are located outside of city limits and that are 50 feet or more in height. The top third of any such tower must be striped orange and white, each outside guy wire must have two attached marker balls, the vegetation around guy wire anchor points must contrast with surrounding vegetation, and guy wires must have safety sleeves.

The act does not supercede any other state or federal law that regulates the appearance of the anemometer tower. Owners of anemometer towers in existence as of August 28, 2012, are given until January 1, 2014, to comply with the act's requirements.

A violation of the act is a Class B misdemeanor.

ERIKA JAQUES