Surprise Sprinkler System Mandate Vote Today

It has been some time since the sprinkler mandate proposal led by the Northern Illinois Sprinkler Advisory Board and the State Fire Marshall was withdrawn because of intense protest by high rise dwellers in Chicago. The bill would have demanded that all condominium associations, co-ops and townhomes be immediately fitted with costly sprinkler systems that may cost each unit owner approximately $35,000 each.

Surprise! It’s back and only announced today that the vote is 1pm this afternoon. Many residents are fuming this morning as they feel taken in by tactics of the State Fire Marshall’s office. In a statement released today by ASCO (Association of Sheridan Condominum/co-op Owners), “It is embarrassing for us to learn and tell you about this crisis so late in the game, but frankly we didn’t know.”

Alderman James Cappleman also weighed in by releasing an official statement, “While we all thought this ended the matter, I have recently been informed that lobbyists in Springfield are still attempting to push through a similarly onerous mandate resulting in further negative unnecessary regulations on area residents. A proposed amendment to counter these lobbyists was just released today out of the Rules Committee.” The alderman continues, “The most disturbing aspect of the current proposal is the attempt to circumvent the state’s legislative process by pushing the proposed regulations through a committee called the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR). This is not the committee that should be making the decision for an unfunded mandate of this magnitude.”

Representative Sara Feigenholtz has been in the process of amending the fire sprinkler bill (4069). She has also introduced legislation that requires “any such proposal must first be vetted by the full legislature while establishing a task force to continue to look at the issue.”

Again, the vote for this legislation is at 1pm today. To view the proposed legislation in its entirety, please click here. Ald. Cappelman is urging everyone to call and email the legislators who sit on the State Government Administration Committee and tell them to vote for Amendment 1 to HB 4609. Here is the list:

epresentative Jack D. Franks

63rd District

(217) 782-1717

(815) 334-0063

jack@jackfranks.org

Representative Emily McAsey

85th District

(217) 782-4179

(815) 372-0085

RepEmily@gmail.com

Representative Robert W. Pritchard

70th District