§ 36-99.3 Smoke alarms and automatic sprinkler systems in institutions of higher education
A. Buildings at institutions of higher education that contain dormitories for sleeping purposes shall be provided with battery operated or AC powered smoke alarm devices installed therein in accordance with the Building Code. All dormitories at public institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education shall have installed and use due diligence in maintaining in good working order such alarms regardless of when the building was constructed.
B. The Board of Housing and Community Development shall promulgate regulations pursuant to § 2.2-4011 establishing standards for automatic sprinkler systems throughout all buildings at private institutions of higher education and public institutions of higher education that are (i) more than 75 feet or more than six stories high and (ii) used, in whole or in part, as dormitories to house students. Such buildings shall be equipped with automatic sprinkler systems by September 1, 1999, regardless of when such buildings were constructed.
C. The chief administrative office of the institution of higher education shall obtain a certificate of compliance with the provisions of this section from the building official of the locality in which the institution of higher education is located or, in the case of state-owned buildings, from the Director of the Department of General Services.
D. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any dormitory at a military public institution of higher education that is patrolled 24 hours a day by military guards.
History
This law was first created in 1982. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 357 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1982 “Acts” aren’t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1997, chapter 584; in 2018, chapters 41 and 81.
1982, c. 357; 1997, c. 584; 2018, cc. 41, 81.