(a)  Except as provided in Section 18930, the State Fire Marshal, with the advice of the State Board of Fire Services, shall prepare and adopt regulations establishing minimum standards for the prevention of fire and for the protection of life and property against fire in any building or structure used or intended for use as a home or institution for the housing of any person of any age when such person is referred to or placed within such home or institution for protective social care and supervision services by any governmental agency. The State Fire Marshal shall adopt and submit building standards for approval pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of Part 2.5 of Division 13 for the purposes described in this section. Occupancies within the meaning of this subdivision shall be those not otherwise specified in Sections 13113 and 13143 and shall include, but are not limited to, those commonly referred to as “certified family care homes,” “out-of-home placement facilities,” and “halfway houses.” Building standards relating to fire and panic safety published in the State Building Standards Code and other regulations adopted pursuant to this subdivision shall establish minimum requirements relating to the means of egress and the adequacy of exits, the installation and maintenance of fire extinguishing and fire alarm systems, the storage, handling, or use of combustible or flammable materials or substances, and the installation and maintenance of appliances, equipment, decorations, and furnishings that may present a fire, explosion, or panic hazard. Such minimum requirements shall be predicated on the height, area, and fire-resistive qualities of the building or structure used or intended to be used.

Any building or structure within the scope of this subdivision used or intended to be used for the housing of more than six nonambulatory persons shall have installed and maintained in proper operating condition an automatic sprinkler system approved by the State Fire Marshal. “Nonambulatory person,” as used in this section, means nonambulatory person as defined in Section 13131.

The ambulatory or nonambulatory status of any developmentally disabled person within the scope of this subdivision shall be determined by the Director of Social Services or his or her designated representative, in consultation with the Director of Developmental Services or his or her designated representative.

Any building or structure within the scope of this subdivision used or intended to be used for the housing of more than six ambulatory persons shall have installed or maintained in proper operating condition an automatic fire alarm system approved and listed by the State Fire Marshal which will respond to products of combustion other than heat.

In preparing and adopting regulations pursuant to this subdivision, the State Fire Marshal shall give reasonable consideration to the continued use of existing buildings’ housing occupancies established prior to March 4, 1972.

In preparing and adopting regulations pursuant to this subdivision, the State Fire Marshal shall also secure the advice of the appropriate governmental agencies involved in the affected protective social care programs in order to provide compatibility and maintenance of operating programs in this state.

Any governmental agency that refers any person to, or causes his or her placement in, any home or institution subject to this section shall, within seven days after the referral or placement, request verification of conformance to the fire safety standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to this section from the fire authority having jurisdiction pursuant to Sections 13145 and 13146. Any referral or placement in homes or institutions subject to this section shall be subject to rescission if the fire authority having jurisdiction subsequently informs the governmental agency that it is unable to give the requested verification.

When a building or structure within the scope of this subdivision is used to house either ambulatory or nonambulatory persons, or both, and an automatic sprinkler system, approved by the State Fire Marshal, is installed, this subdivision shall not be construed to also require the installation of an automatic fire alarm system.

(b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, facilities which are subject to the provisions of subdivision (a) and which are used for the housing of persons, none of whom are physically or mentally handicapped or nonambulatory persons within the meaning of Section 13131, shall not be required to have installed an automatic sprinkler system or an automatic fire alarm system. In adopting regulations, or when adopting building standards for approval pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of Part 2.5 of Division 13, affecting facilities specified in this subdivision, the State Fire Marshal shall take into consideration the ambulatory and nonhandicapped status of persons housed in such facilities.

(c)  It is the intent of the Legislature that any building or structure within the scope of subdivision (a) in which there is housed any totally deaf person, shall be required by the State Fire Marshal to be equipped with fire warning devices to which such person is able to respond.

(d)  The provisions of this section, building standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to this section and published in the State Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety, and the other regulations adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to this section shall apply uniformly throughout the State of California, and no county, city, city and county, or district shall adopt or enforce any ordinance or local rule or regulation relating to fire and panic safety in buildings or structures subject to the provisions of this section which is inconsistent with the provisions of this section, building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety, or the other regulations adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 1980, Ch. 118.)