VETOES

(B) A DOMICILIARY CARE HOME MAY NOT ADMIT OR RETAIN
RESIDENTS IN NEED OF 24-HOUR A DAY NURSING CARE BY OR UNDER
SUPERVISION OF A LICENSED NURSE.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall
take effect July 1, 1989.

May 25, 1989

The Honorable R. Clayton Mitchell, Jr.
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland
Constitution, I have today vetoed House Bill 755.

House Bill 755 would require a builder to offer a prospective
buyer the option of installing a sprinkler system in a new
single-family home. If a sprinkler system is installed, the
homeowner is then required to report any fire that occurs in the
dwelling unit to the 911 emergency telephone exchange.

According to the United States Fire Administration, 6,000 fire
deaths and 250,000 civilian injuries are reported annually.
Approximately 80% of these deaths and 70% of the injuries occur
in residential units. It is argued that a properly installed and
operating sprinkler system would effectively help control the
spread of fire, and thereby reduce the number of fire related
injuries and deaths.

The intent of the legislation is laudable and I commend the
sponsor's efforts to reduce the tragic toll caused by fires.
Today I have signed into law a companion bill, House Bill 658,
which would require a builder to install a sprinkler system in
all newly constructed dormitories, hotels, lodging or rooming
houses, multifamily residential dwellings, and townhouses. That
bill is consistent with the recommendations of the Building
Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA) standards.

I am troubled, however, with certain provisions of House Bill
755. In particular, the bill would require a homeowner who
installs a sprinkler system to call 911 whenever any fire occurs
in the dwelling unit "regardless of:

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