Public Act 098-0388
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Public Act 098-0388 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning local government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Fire Protection District Act is amended by | ||||
adding Section 11j as follows: | ||||
(70 ILCS 705/11j new) | ||||
Sec. 11j. Installation of access or key boxes. The board of | ||||
trustees of any fire protection district may, by ordinance, | ||||
require the installation of an access or key box if: (1) a | ||||
structure is protected by an automatic fire alarm or security | ||||
system or access to or within the structure or area is unduly | ||||
difficult because of secured openings; and (2) immediate access | ||||
is necessary for life-saving purposes. In the case of a health | ||||
care facility that is secured by an electronic code box that is | ||||
in good working order, if the owner of the health care facility | ||||
provides the fire department with a valid access code, then | ||||
that health care facility is not required to be accessible by | ||||
an access or key box. For the purposes of this Section, "health | ||||
care facility" means: a hospital licensed under the Hospital | ||||
Licensing Act or the University of Illinois Hospital Act; a | ||||
nursing home or long-term care facility licensed under the | ||||
Nursing Home Care Act; an assisted living establishment, as | ||||
defined in the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act; a mental |
health facility, as defined in the Mental Health and | ||
Developmental Disabilities Code; a supportive living facility | ||
certified to participate in the supportive living facilities | ||
program under Section 5-5.01a of the Illinois Public Aid Code; | ||
or a facility licensed under the Specialized Mental Health | ||
Rehabilitation Act. "Access or key box" means a secure device | ||
with a lock operable only by a fire department master key, and | ||
containing building entry keys and other keys that may be | ||
required for access in an emergency. | ||
The access or key box shall be of an approved type listed | ||
in accordance with the most recently published version of the | ||
standard Underwriters Laboratories 1037 and shall contain keys | ||
to gain access as required by the fire chief of the fire | ||
protection district, or his or her designee. | ||
An ordinance enacted under this Section may specify | ||
particular classes or types of structures or occupancies that | ||
are required to install an access or key box. However, an | ||
ordinance enacted under this Section shall not apply to single | ||
family residential structures or to facilities owned or | ||
operated by a public utility, as that term is defined under | ||
Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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