EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0222*
HOUSE BILL 222
C2, E4 5lr1479
HB 503/24 – ENT (PRE–FILED) CF SB 175
By: Delegate Stein Delegates Stein, Boyce, Holmes, Otto, Ruth, and Terrasa
Requested: October 29, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 27, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Fuel Gas Piping Systems and Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing 2
for Fuel Gas Piping Systems 3
– Requirements and Prohibitions – Prohibitions and Study 4
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the sale, offer for sale, transfer, or distribution of 5
non–arc–resistant jacketed corrugated stainless steel tubing that does not meet 6
certain qualifications; requiring certain tubing used; establishing a certain civil 7
penalty for a person who uses certain tubing in the construction of fuel gas piping 8
systems in certain buildings to meet certain qualifications; requiring the Office of 9
the State Fire Marshal to study and make recommendations related to preventing 10
the fire hazards associated with commonly used fuel gas piping systems, including 11
gas piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing, in residential and commercial 12
buildings; and generally relating to fuel gas piping systems, gas piping, and 13
corrugated stainless steel tubing. 14
BY adding to 15
Article – Business Regulation 16
Section 19–108 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2024 Replacement Volume) 19
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 20
Article – Public Safety 21
Section 12–206 22 2 HOUSE BILL 222
Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 2
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 3
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 4
Article – Business Regulation 5
19–108. 6
(A) A PERSON MAY NOT SELL , OFFER FOR SALE , TRANSFER, OR DISTRIBUTE 7
NON–ARC–RESISTANT JACKETED CORRUGATED STAINLESS STEEL TUBING THAT: 8
(1) DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LC1027 STANDARD 9
DESCRIBED IN THE MOS T RECENT EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUEL AND GAS 10
CODE ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL; OR 11
(2) HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN TO WITHSTAND AT LEAS T 36 COULOMBS 12
OF ELECTRICAL ARCING CHARGE BY AN ELEC TRICAL ARCING TEST . 13
(B) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS SUBJ ECT TO A CIVIL 14
PENALTY NOT EXCEEDIN G $1,000. 15
Article – Public Safety 16
12–206. 17
(a) This section applies to any building that uses fuel gas piping systems not 18
subject to Title 49, Part 192 of the Code of Federal Regulations. 19
(b) [Non–arc–resistant jacketed] ONLY corrugated stainless steel tubing THAT 20
MEETS THE REQUIREMEN TS OF THE LC1027 STANDARD DESCRIBED I N THE MOST 21
RECENT EDITION OF TH E INTERNATIONAL FUEL AND GAS CODE ISSUED BY THE 22
INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL OR HAS BEEN P ROVEN TO WITHSTAND A T LEAST 23
36 COULOMBS OF ELECTRIC AL ARCING CHARGE BY AN ELECTRICAL ARCING TEST 24
may [not] be used in: 25
(1) the new construction of a customer–owned natural gas or liquefied 26
propane piping system in a building; 27
(2) a natural gas or liquefied propane piping system in a renovated 28
property if the renovation affects more than 50% of the total square footage of the property; 29
or 30
(3) a natural gas or liquefied propane piping system that requires the 31
addition of a new gas line to the gas piping system. 32 HOUSE BILL 222 3
(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS SUBJ ECT TO A CIVIL 1
PENALTY NOT EXCEEDIN G $1,000. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 3
(a) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall conduct a study and make 4
recommendations related to preventing the fire hazards associated with commonly used 5
fuel gas piping systems, including gas piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing, in 6
residential and commercial buildings. 7
(b) In conducting the study and making the recommendations, the Office shall: 8
(1) study and compare the fire hazard risks of different types of fuel gas 9
piping systems, including gas piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing; 10
(2) study the likelihood of fuel gas piping systems, including gas piping and 11
corrugated stainless steel tubing, causing a fire in a residential or commercial building 12
following a direct or indirect lightning strike; 13
(3) analyze the effectiveness of existing standards and requirements in the 14
State related to fuel gas piping systems, including gas piping and corrugated stainless steel 15
tubing, and identify areas for improvement; 16
(4) analyze and identify the best practices for state and local legislative, 17
regulatory, and building code standards for fuel gas piping systems, including gas piping 18
and corrugated stainless steel tubing; 19
(5) identify potential legislative or regulatory changes in the State to 20
prevent or minimize the fire hazards associated with fuel gas piping systems, including gas 21
piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing; 22
(6) determine what industry standards or requirements are necessary to 23
prevent or minimize the fire hazards associated with fuel gas piping systems, including gas 24
piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing; 25
(7) determine what standards or requirements are necessary, if any, to 26
address aggravating factors that may reasonably contribute to the failure or 27
malfunctioning of fuel gas piping systems, including gas piping and corrugated stainless 28
steel tubing, and create a fire hazard, such as improper installation or grounding; 29
(8) assess the prevalence of non–arc–resistant jacketed corrugated 30
stainless steel tubing in residential and commercial buildings and the fire hazards that this 31
presents; and 32
(9) assess the feasibility of implementing the standards and requirements 33
identified in this study. 34 4 HOUSE BILL 222
(c) In carrying out the study, the Office shall consult with: 1
(1) the State Fire Prevention Commission; 2
(2) the Maryland Department of Labor; 3
(3) local government entities responsible for residential or commercial gas 4
fitting inspections; and 5
(4) manufacturers of fuel gas piping systems and corrugated stainless steel 6
tubing. 7
(d) On or before September 1, 2026, the Office shall report its findings and 8
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 9
Government Article, the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment 10
and the House Environment and Transportation Committee. 11
SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2027 June 1, 2025. 13
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.