SENATE COMMUNITY AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1795

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 1, 2026

      The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1795. 

      As amended and reported, this bill provides that only registered design professionals or employees with certified fire escape contractors are authorized to install, service, repair, inspect, and maintain fire escapes.  The bill defines "fire escape contractor" to mean a person or business entity that offers to undertake or represents itself as being able to undertake, or does undertake the installation, service, repair, inspection, or maintenance, of fire escapes.  Under the bill, as amended, a fire escape contractor is required to be a registered design professional or an employee with a fire escape contractor.  The bill defines “registered design professional” to mean an architect or engineer registered or licensed to practice professional architecture or engineering, as defined by the statutory requirements of the professional registration laws of the state in which the project is to be constructed. The bill also adds the classification of "Fire Escape Contractor" as a certified classification to be issued by the Commissioner of Community Affairs (commissioner).

The bill provides that the commissioner is required to adopt regulations for the certification of fire escape contractors. 

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

· change "licensed design professional" to "registered design professional" in the definition of "fire escape contractor;" and

· remove section 3 of the bill, which was obviated by a more recent enactment, and make a related change to the bill’s title.