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.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*sb0175*
SENATE BILL 175
C2, E4 (5lr0730)
ENROLLED BILL
— Education, Energy, and the Environment/Environment and Transportation —
Introduced by Senators Lewis Young and Brooks
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
President.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Fuel Gas Piping Systems and Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing 2
for Fuel Gas Piping Systems – Requirements and Prohibitions – Prohibitions 3
and Study 4
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the sale, offer for sale, transfer, or distribution of 5
nonconductive non–arc–resistant jacketed corrugated stainless steel tubing that does 6
not meet certain qualifications; requiring certain tubing used; establishing a certain 7
civil penalty for a person who uses certain tubing in the construction of fuel gas 8
piping systems in certain buildings to meet certain qualifications; requiring the 9
Maryland Department of Labor, in collaboration with the State Fire Prevention 10
Commission, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and local inspectors, to 11
conduct a study and make recommendations regarding corrugated stainless steel 12
tubing and other fuel gas piping systems related to preventing the fire hazards 13
associated with commonly used fuel gas piping systems, including gas piping and 14
corrugated stainless steel tubing, in residential and commercial buildings; and 15 2 SENATE BILL 175
generally relating to fuel gas piping systems, gas piping, and corrugated stainless 1
steel tubing. 2
BY adding to 3
Article – Business Regulation 4
Section 19–108 5
Annotated Code of Maryland 6
(2024 Replacement Volume) 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Public Safety 9
Section 12–206 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Business Regulation 15
19–108. 16
(A) A PERSON MAY NOT SELL, OFFER FOR SALE , TRANSFER, OR DISTRIBUTE 17
NONCONDUCTIVE NON–ARC–RESISTANT JACKETED CORRUGATED STAINLESS STEEL 18
TUBING THAT: 19
(1) DOES NOT MEET THE RE QUIREMENTS OF THE LC1027 STANDARD 20
DESCRIBED IN THE MOS T RECENT EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUEL AND GAS 21
CODE ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL; OR 22
(2) HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN TO WITHSTAND AT LEAS T 36 COULOMBS 23
OF ELECTRICAL ARCING CHARGE BY AN ELECTRI CAL ARCING TEST . 24
(B) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS SUBJ ECT TO A CIVIL 25
PENALTY NOT EXCEEDIN G $1,000. 26
Article – Public Safety 27
12–206. 28
(a) This section applies to any building that uses fuel gas piping systems not 29
subject to Title 49, Part 192 of the Code of Federal Regulations. 30
(b) [Non–arc–resistant jacketed] ONLY NONCONDUCTIVE JACKETE D 31
corrugated stainless steel tubing THAT MEETS THE REQUIREMEN TS OF THE LC1027 32
STANDARD DESCRIBED I N THE MOST RECENT EDITION OF TH E INTERNATIONAL 33 SENATE BILL 175 3
FUEL AND GAS CODE ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL OR HAS BEEN 1
PROVEN TO WITHSTAND AT LEAST 36 COULOMBS OF ELECTRICAL ARCING CHARGE 2
BY AN ELECTRICAL ARC ING TEST may [not] be used in: 3
(1) the new construction of a customer–owned natural gas or liquefied 4
propane piping system in a building; 5
(2) a natural gas or liquefied propane piping system in a renovated 6
property if the renovation affects more than 50% of the total square footage of the property; 7
or 8
(3) a natural gas or liquefied propane piping system that requires the 9
addition of a new gas line to the gas piping system. 10
(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS SUBJ ECT TO A CIVIL 11
PENALTY NOT EXCEEDIN G $1,000. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 13
(a) The Maryland Department of Labor and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, 14
in collaboration with the State Fire Prevention Commission, the State Fire Marshal, and 15
local inspectors, shall conduct a study the and make recommendations related to prevention 16
of preventing the fire hazards associated with commonly used corrugated stainless steel 17
tubing and other fuel gas piping systems, including gas piping and corrugated stainless 18
steel tubing, in residential and commercial buildings. 19
(b) The Maryland Department of Labor In conducting the study and making the 20
recommendations, the Department and the Office shall: 21
(1) study and compare the fire hazards created by hazard risks of different 22
types of corrugated stainless steel tubing in comparison to other fuel fuel gas piping 23
systems, including gas piping systems used in residential buildings and corrugated 24
stainless steel tubing; 25
(2) study the likelihood of corrugated stainless steel tubing or other fuel 26
fuel gas piping systems, including gas piping systems and corrugated stainless steel tubing, 27
causing a fire in a residential or commercial building following a direct or indirect lightning 28
strike; 29
(3) make recommendations regarding the analyze the effectiveness of 30
existing standards and requirements necessary for corrugated stainless steel tubing and 31
other in the State related to fuel gas piping systems to prevent or minimize the risk of fire 32
in residential or commercial buildings, including regulatory or legislative measures, 33
including gas piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing, and identify areas for 34
improvement; 35
4 SENATE BILL 175
(4) make recommendations regarding any standards and requirements 1
necessary to address aggravating factors that may reasonably contribute to the failure or 2
malfunctioning of corrugated stainless steel tubing or other analyze and identify the best 3
practices for state and local legislative, regulatory, and building code standards for fuel gas 4
piping systems, such as improper installation, maintenance, or grounding including gas 5
piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing; 6
(5) assess the availability of testing facilities to determine whether 7
corrugated stainless steel tubing and other fuel gas piping systems are able to withstand 8
lightning strikes or electrical arcing; identify potential legislative or regulatory changes in 9
the State to prevent or minimize the fire hazards associated with fuel gas piping systems, 10
including gas piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing, § 12–206 of the Public Safety 11
Article, and if enacted by S.B. 175 or H.B. 222 of 2025, § 19–108 of the Business Regulation 12
Article; 13
(6) determine what industry standards or requirements are necessary to 14
prevent or minimize the fire hazards associated with fuel gas piping systems, including gas 15
piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing; 16
(7) determine what standards or requirements are necessary, if any, to 17
address aggravating factors that may reasonably contribute to the failure or malfunctioning 18
of fuel gas piping systems, including gas piping and corrugated stainless steel tubing, and 19
create a fire hazard, such as improper installation or grounding; 20
(8) assess the prevalence of non–arc–resistant jacketed corrugated stainless 21
steel tubing in residential and commercial buildings and the fire hazards that this presents; 22
and 23
(6) (9) assess the feasibility of implementing the standards and requirements 24
recommended under items (3) and (4) of this subsection; 25
(7) analyze the prevalence of nonconductive jacketed corrugated stainless 26
steel tubing in residential and commercial buildings and the fire hazard presented; and 27
(8) consult with the following individuals or entities regarding items (1) 28
through (7) of this subsection: 29
(i) identified in this study. 30
(c) In carrying out the study, the Department and the Office shall consult with: 31
(1) the State Fire Prevention Commission; 32
(2) local government entities that conduct responsible for residential or 33
commercial gas fitting inspections or permitting; 34
(ii) the State Fire Marshal; and 35 SENATE BILL 175 5
(iii) any other necessary subject matter experts; and 1
(3) manufacturers of fuel gas piping systems and corrugated stainless steel 2
tubing. 3
(c) (d) (1) On or before December 1, 2025, the Maryland Department of Labor 4
Department and the Office shall submit an interim report of its findings and 5
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 6
Government Article, the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment 7
and the House Environment and Transportation Committee. 8
(2) On or before September 30 1, 2026, the Maryland Department of Labor 9
Department and the Office shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations 10
to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the 11
Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment and the House 12
Environment and Transportation Committee. 13
SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENA CTED, That this Act shall take effect 14
October 1, 2027 June 1, 2025. 15
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.