By: Johnson S.B. No. 2835
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to regulation of stairway requirements in certain
multifamily residential buildings by political subdivisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
Section 1. Chapter 214, Local Government Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter I to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER I. SINGLE STAIRWAY IN CERTAIN APARTMENT
BUILDINGS. (a) A municipality may allow apartment buildings to be
served by a single stairway regardless of the municipality's
adoption of the International Building Code.
(b) A municipality that chooses to allow apartment
buildings to be served by a single stairway must do so under the
following conditions:
(1) has no more than 6 stories above grade plane and
does not qualify as a high-rise, as defined in the International
Building Code, as adopted under Section 214.216, Local Government
Code;
(2) has no more than four dwelling units on any floor;
(3) regardless of the stairway construction type, has
automatic sprinkler locations in interior exit stairways that
comply with the requirements of NFPA 13 for combustible stairways;
(4) has an exterior stairway or interior exit
stairway is provided and doors in the stairway swing into the
interior exit stairway regardless of the occupant load served,
provided that doors from the interior exit stairway to the building
exterior are permitted to swing in the direction of exit travel;
(5) has openings to the interior exit stairway
enclosure are limited to those required for exit access into the
enclosure from normally occupied spaces, those required for egress
from the enclosure, and openings to the exterior. Elevators shall
not open into the interior exit stairway enclosure;
(6) has interior exit stairway enclosures have a
fire-resistance rating of not less than 2 hours;
(7) has a minimum 1 hour fire-resistance rated
corridor separates each dwelling unit entry/exit door from the door
to an interior exit stairway, including any related exit
passageway, on each floor;
(8) has dwelling unit doors that do not open directly
into an interior exit stairway;
(9) has no more than 20 feet (6096 mm) of travel
distance exist between the exit stairway from the entry/exit door
of any dwelling unit;
(10) has exit access travel that does not exceed 125
feet (38100 mm);
(11) has an exit serving the Group R occupancy that
does not discharge through any other occupancy, including an
accessory parking garage;
(12) has an exit that does not terminate in an egress
court where the court depth exceeds the court width unless it is
possible to exit in either direction to the public way;
(13) has no openings within 10 feet (3048 mm) of
unprotected openings into the stairway other than required exit
doors having a 1-hour fire-resistance rating;
(14) has emergency escape and rescue openings
compliant with International Building Code Section 1031 on all
floors served by the single exit;
(15) has no electrical receptacles in an interior
exit stairway;
(16) has met all other applicable provisions of the
adopted local building codes, and;
(17) has an automatic smoke and fire detection system
that activates the occupant notification system in accordance with
IBC Section 907.5 installed in the building in:
(A) common spaces outside of dwelling units;
(B) laundry rooms, mechanical equipment rooms,
and storage rooms;
(C) all interior corridors serving dwelling
units; and
(D) all main floor landings or interior and
exterior exit stairways.
Section 211.054. SMOKE AND FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM REQUIRED
in SINGLE STAIRWAY BUILDINGS. An automatic smoke and fire
detection system that activates the occupant notification system in
accordance with IBC Section 907.5 shall be installed in single
stairway apartment buildings in:
(1) common spaces outside of dwelling units;
(2) laundry rooms, mechanical equipment rooms and
storage rooms;
(3) all interior corridors serving dwelling units,
and;
(4) All main floor landings of interior and exterior
exit stairways.
Section 2. This act takes effect September 1, 2025.