Public Act 098-0388
 
HB1349 EnrolledLRB098 07604 OMW 37676 b


  
    AN ACT concerning local government.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    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.
 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.