Sec. 242.039.  FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to specify the edition of the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association that will be used to establish the life safety requirements for an institution licensed under this chapter.
(b)  The executive commissioner shall adopt the edition of the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association for fire safety as designated by federal law and regulations for an institution or portion of an institution that is constructed after September 1, 1993, and for an institution or portion of an institution that was operating or approved for construction on or before September 1, 1993.
(c)  The executive commissioner may not require more stringent fire safety standards than those required by federal law and regulation.  The rules adopted under this section may not prevent an institution licensed under this chapter from voluntarily conforming to fire safety standards that are compatible with, equal to, or more stringent than those adopted by the executive commissioner.
(d)  Licensed health care facilities in existence at the time of the effective date of this subsection may have their existing use or occupancy continued if such facilities comply with fire safety standards and ordinances in existence at the time of the effective date of this subsection.
(e)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a municipality shall have the authority to enact additional and higher fire safety standards applicable to new construction beginning on or after the effective date of this subsection.
(g)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to implement an expedited inspection process that allows an applicant for a license or for a renewal of a license to obtain a life safety code and physical plant inspection not later than the 15th day after the date the request is made.  The department may charge a fee to recover the cost of the expedited inspection.  The rules must permit the department to charge different fee amounts based on the size and type of institution.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 583, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Amended by: 
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 917 (H.B. 2972), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.0605, eff. April 2, 2015.