Senate Bill 2630

AN ACT TO REQUIRE ANY FIRM ENGAGING IN THE INSTALLATION OR INSPECTION OF A FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM OR FIRE PUMP SYSTEM SHALL FILE AN APPLICATION FOR A STATE FIRE MARSHAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ON FORMS PROVIDED BY THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL; TO PROVIDE FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND RENEWAL FEE; TO PROVIDE CIVIL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) Any firm engaging in the installation or inspection of a fire sprinkler system or fire pump system in the State of Mississippi shall, regardless of the contract price, file an application for a State Fire Marshal identification number on forms provided by the State Fire Marshal. The application may contain, but not be limited to, the following information:

(a) The name of at least one (1) responsible managing employee (RME). A responsible managing employee must be:

(i) A full-time employee or owner of the firm and maintain current NICET Level 1 certification in Fire Protection Engineering Technology Automatic Sprinkler System Layout.

(ii) At least twenty-one (21) years of age.

(iii) Cannot be listed as a current responsible managing employee with any other firm.

(b) Mississippi COR# as issued by the State Board of Contractors.

(2) Upon satisfactory filing of the application, the State Fire Marshal may issue an identification number to the firm. This number must be printed on all fire sprinkler shop drawings, hydraulic calculations, inspection reports and inspection tags. A renewal application and renewal fee shall be sent to the State Fire Marshal by July 1 of each year.

(3) If a responsible managing employee leaves a firm in the course of a year, the firm shall notify the State Fire Marshal's office within seven (7) days of departure. If the firm has no other responsible managing employee on file with the State Fire Marshal, the firm shall submit a new responsible managing employee within six (6) months of the employee's departure or his identification number shall be revoked.

(4) Any firm found to be in violation of any provision of this act shall be subject to a civil penalty imposed by the State Fire Marshal in an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) to be deposited into the Department of Insurance Special Fund.

(5) Nothing in this act shall be intended to prevent the owner of a fire sprinkler system from using his qualified employees to perform routine maintenance and inspections on fire sprinkler systems that he owns.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2012.