Sponsored by:

Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

SYNOPSIS

Requires retirement subdivision and retirement community to install electrical generator to provide electricity to common use area to be used as shelter in case of emergency.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

An Act concerning the provision of electricity to common use areas of retirement subdivisions and retirement communities to be used as shelters in cases of emergency and supplementing P.L.1975, c.119 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. An existing or newly-constructed retirement subdivision or community as defined under the "Retirement Community Full Disclosure Act," P.L.1969, c. 215 (C.45:22A-1 et seq.) shall be equipped with a standby emergency power generator to provide electricity to a common use area, such as a community room or clubhouse, which shall be used as a shelter in case of emergency.

b. (1) Any standby emergency power generator installed pursuant to this section shall have a minimum run capacity of 14 consecutive days, a load capacity capable of sustaining a heating unit and basic electrical necessities, and be operated in compliance with requirements for such generators in accordance with regulations adopted by the Department of Environmental Protection.

(2) A standby emergency power generator installed pursuant to this section shall be checked weekly, tested under load monthly, and serviced in accordance with generally accepted engineering practices by the manager or operator of the multiple dwelling units.

(3) A standby emergency power generator installed pursuant to this section shall be operated only when necessary to provide power to a common use area when used as a shelter in case of an emergency in order to protect the general health and welfare of the subdivision or community residents which would be under substantial risk in a continued power outage.

c. The Board of Public Utilities shall develop and administer a program to provide grants and low-interest loans for the purpose of ensuring that existing retirement subdivisions and communities can comply with the provision of subsection a. of this section.

2. The Department of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection and the Board of Public Utilities, shall promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.) in order to effectuate the purposes of this act.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill creates a standard under the State Uniform Construction Code for an existing retirement subdivision or community as defined under the "Retirement Community Full Disclosure Act," P.L.1969, c. 215 (C.45:22A-1 et seq.) to be retro-fitted with a standby emergency power generator to provide electricity to a common use area, such as a community room or clubhouse, to be used as a shelter in case of emergency. Any standby emergency power generator installed pursuant to the provisions of this bill must have a minimum run capacity of 14 consecutive days, a load capacity capable of sustaining a heating unit and basic electrical necessities, and be operated in compliance with requirements for such generators in accordance with regulations adopted by the Department of Community Affairs. This bill also requires that newly-constructed retirement subdivisions and communities be equipped with standby emergency power generators for the same purpose.

The bill directs that the standby emergency power generator comport with the regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection concerning air pollution, be tested regularly, and operated only when necessary to provide power to a common use area when used as a shelter in case of an emergency in order to protect the general health and welfare of the subdivision or community residents which would otherwise be under substantial risk in a continued power outage.

The sponsor of this bill envisions potential sources of funding for purposes of retro-fitting existing retirement subdivisions and communities to come from, among other sources, the Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA") and the Board of Public Utilities.