Smoke detectors providing an effective intensity of not less than 100 candela to warn a deaf or hearing-impaired individual shall be provided, upon request by the occupant to the landlord or proprietor, to any deaf or hearing-impaired occupant of any of the following occupancies, regardless of when constructed:
1. All dormitory buildings arranged for the shelter and sleeping accommodations of more than twenty individuals;
2. All multiple-family dwellings having more than two dwelling units, including all dormitories, boarding and lodging houses arranged for shelter and sleeping accommodations of more than five individuals; or
3. All buildings arranged for use of one-family or two-family dwelling units.
A tenant shall be responsible for the maintenance and operation of the smoke detector in the tenant’s unit.A hotel or motel shall have available no fewer than one such smoke detector for each seventy units or portion thereof, except that this requirement shall not apply to any hotel or motel with fewer than thirty-five units. The proprietor of the hotel or motel shall post in a conspicuous place at the registration desk or counter a permanent sign stating the availability of smoke detectors for the hearing-impaired. Visual detectors shall be provided for all meeting rooms for which an advance request has been made.The proprietor or landlord may require a refundable deposit for a smoke detector, not to exceed the original cost or replacement cost, whichever is greater, of the smoke detector. Rental fees shall not be increased as compensation for this requirement.Landlords shall notify hearing-impaired tenants of the availability of special smoke detectors; however, no landlord shall be civilly or criminally liable for failure to so notify. New tenants shall be asked, in writing, at the time of rental, whether visual smoke detectors will be needed.Failure to comply with the provisions of this section within a reasonable time shall be punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor.This law shall have no effect upon existing local law or regulation which exceeds the provisions prescribed herein; however, any locality with an ordinance shall follow a uniform set of standards for maintenance of smoke detectors established in the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.).
History
1984, c. 753; 1988, c. 183; 2011, c. 766.
