Last week the IL State Fire
Marshall, the man who allegedly was away on vacation, excited thousands of
property owners and tenants when he announced that he was withdrawing his
proposal to require sprinkler systems and other gimmicks throughout the
State. Condo boards posted “We Won” on
their websites and a few drinks were poured. Management companies received
“thank you” notes from the residents of their buildings for their help in the
organizing efforts. But those who read
past the first few lines are not sure.
What the IL State Fire
Marshall said was:
"In
the course of this process, it’s become clear that any proposed state rule needs
additional refinement.
“Therefore
today I am officially withdrawing the proposed rule before the Joint Committee
on Administrative Rules to take into account substantial public comment and carefully
re-examine this issue.”
In other words, the victory is only temporary. One lobbyist told us that the Governor ordered him to pull it back because the uproar was so loud that it was detracting from some of the Governor’s pet projects. That same lobbyist is hypothesizing that the proposals, with some tiny modifications, will be back after elections.
What the Fire Marshall, with
the support of the Governor, did was try to push through a job creating/ profit
making program that has been turned down in the State legislature.
There is a Committee in the
State Legislature called the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. It is a bi-partisan committee made up of 6
Senators and 6 Representatives, equally divided between both parties. The Committee has the power to approve the
adoption of rules for the state. The
Governor cannot veto their decisions but he appoints the State Fire Marshall
who introduced the proposals.
The Fire Marshall's proposal
has many negative aspects.
- It has the potential to bankrupt the Housing Industry
- It will destroy the Affordable Housing Market
- It ignores the difference between urban and rural fire
fighting strategies
- It challenges the Home Rule powers of municipalities.
- It is very expensive and speaks to an almost nonexistent
problem.
The time has come to put this
issue to rest, once and for all. The Fire Marshall and his supporters have had
their friends in the legislature introduce sprinkler legislation before. Each time the elected representatives of the
citizens have defeated these efforts.
We will need your help
again. Stayed tuned.
