1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to the building code; modifying requirements 
  1.3             of bleacher safety; amending Minnesota Statutes 1999 
  1.4             Supplement, section 16B.616, subdivisions 3 and 4. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
  1.7   16B.616, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 3.  [SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.] In places of public 
  1.9   accommodation using bleacher seating, all bleachers or bleacher 
  1.10  open spaces over 30 55 inches above grade or the floor below, 
  1.11  and all bleacher guardrails if any part of the guardrail is over 
  1.12  55 inches above grade or the floor below must conform to the 
  1.13  following safety requirements: 
  1.14     (1) the open space between bleacher footboards, seats, and 
  1.15  guardrails must not exceed four inches, unless approved safety 
  1.16  nets are installed, except that retractable bleachers already in 
  1.17  existence as of January 1, 2001, with open spaces not exceeding 
  1.18  nine inches, are exempt from the requirement of this clause; 
  1.19     (2) bleachers must have vertical perimeter guardrails with 
  1.20  no more than four-inch rail spacing between vertical rails or 
  1.21  other approved guardrails that address climbability and are 
  1.22  designed to prevent accidents; and 
  1.23     (3) the state building official shall determine whether the 
  1.24  safety nets and guardrail climbability meet the requirements of 
  1.25  the alternate design section of the State Building Code.  All 
  2.1   new bleachers manufactured, installed, sold, or distributed 
  2.2   after January 1, 2001, must comply with the State Building Code 
  2.3   in effect and clauses (1), (2), and (3) this subdivision. 
  2.4      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
  2.5   16B.616, subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  2.6      Subd. 4.  [ENFORCEMENT.] (a) A statutory or home rule 
  2.7   charter city that is not covered by the code because of action 
  2.8   taken under section 16B.72 or 16B.73 is responsible for 
  2.9   enforcement in the city of the code's requirements for bleacher 
  2.10  safety.  In all other areas where the code does not apply 
  2.11  because of action taken under section 16B.72 or 16B.73, the 
  2.12  county is responsible for enforcement of those requirements. 
  2.13     (b) Municipalities that have not adopted the code may 
  2.14  enforce the code requirements for bleacher safety by either 
  2.15  entering into a joint powers agreement for enforcement with 
  2.16  another municipality that has adopted the code or contracting 
  2.17  for enforcement with a qualified and certified building official 
  2.18  or state licensed design professional to enforce the code. 
  2.19     (c) Municipalities, school districts, organizations, 
  2.20  individuals, and other persons operating or owning places of 
  2.21  public accommodation with bleachers that are subject to the 
  2.22  safety requirements in subdivision 3 shall provide a signed 
  2.23  certification of compliance to the commissioner by January 1, 
  2.24  2001 2002.  For bleachers exempted by subdivision 3, clause (1), 
  2.25  entities covered by this paragraph must have on file a bleacher 
  2.26  safety management plan and amortization schedule.  The 
  2.27  certification shall be prepared by a qualified and certified 
  2.28  building official or state licensed design professional and 
  2.29  shall certify that the bleachers have been inspected and are in 
  2.30  compliance with the requirements of this section and are 
  2.31  structurally sound.  For bleachers owned by a school district, 
  2.32  the person the district designates to be responsible for 
  2.33  buildings and grounds may make the certification.