TRENTON — The deadline for Gov. Chris Christie to sign or veto legislation that would require every new single or two-family home built in New Jersey to have a sprinkler system is Thursday.
Today, a coalition of fire safety officials and union heads joined the bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman John Wisniewski, to urge Christie to sign it.
“Of all the reasons to support this bill, the most compelling is also the simplest: Fire sprinklers prevent injuries and save lives,” Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) said.
The bill (A1698) passed the Legislature in March nearly along party lines, with most Democrats supporting it and most Republicans opposing it. It passed once before in January 2014, at the end of the last two-year legislative session. But it died when Christie failed to take action on it before the session expired in what’s called a “pocket veto.”
Wisniewski said the requirement would add about $4,000 to the cost of a 2,000 square foot home.
“I think about that number. A $4,000 investment on a structure that usually runs about $400,000. It’s a small fraction of the overall cost,” he said, adding that many insurance companies will offer discounts for homes with sprinklers.
Prefabricated homes and those not connected to a public water system would be exempted from the requirement.
Wisniewski, a frequent critic of Christie, did not criticize the governor. But Ed Donnelly, president of the New Jersey Fireman’s Mutual Benevolent Association, was less restrained.
“It has become too common practice for our governor to keep New Jersey residents and firefighters who are sworn to protect those residents in his rearview mirror,” Donnelly said.
All other new residential structures in New Jersey are required to have sprinkler systems, according to David Kurasz, executive director of the New Jersey Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board. But Kurasz said most new single and two family homes are not equipped with them.
A spokesman for Christie did not respond to a request for comment.
Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) said most Republicans opposed the bill because it would add to the cost of housing.
“In New Jersey, where things are so expensive, we don’t want to mandate another cost that will be passed down to the buyer,” he said. “We were concerned about more mandates, more costs and consequently more regulations with respect to families buying homes.”
Matt Friedman may be reached at mfriedman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattFriedmanSL. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/05/christie_due_to_act_on_legislation_to_require_fire.html
“In New Jersey, where things are so expensive, we don’t want to mandate another cost that will be passed down to the buyer,” he said.” “BUT,” he added, “due to the high cost of hookers, drugs, and money sent to Israhell these days, we don’t have any other choice but to further burden our slaves. It’s just business.”
I’ll bet the average person has NO clue as to the cost
of such an endeavor would add to the over all cost of
building a dwelling ………especially in union territories.
The garbage that’s accosting us, even on a daily basis,
RESTORATION cannot be far off.
If they had their way, everyone would live in communal
settings. With no personal belongings or property.
Only mindless drones that work 12 hour shifts for the food
and meager clothing that would be needed to comply to
their rules and regulations……
Enough is Enough !!!!!
Burn these creatures where ever you find them.
Hey Christie and the rest of you Commies, can’t We the People just have a friggin’ house or a roof over our heads and leave us the hell alone? No one gives a shit about your ridiculous Commie regulations.