Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §7904-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1997, c. 728, §9, is further amended to read:

1. Inspection required. A license may not be issued by the department to a residential care facility until the department has received from the Commissioner of Public Safety a written statement signed by one of the officials designated under Title 25, section 2360, 2391 or 2392, to make fire safety inspections. This statement, which must indicate that the residential care facility has complied with applicable fire safety provisions referred to in Title 25, section 2452, must be furnished annually to the department.

Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §7904-A, sub-§§3, 4 and 5, as amended by PL 1997, c. 728, §9, are repealed.

Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §7904-A, sub-§§8, 9, 10 and 11 are enacted to read:

8.__Requirements for residential care facilities.__Residential care facilities must comply with the following provisions of the National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code adopted by the Department of Public Safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal.

A.__A residential care facility that has one to 3 beds must comply with the one-family and 2-family dwelling chapter of the Life Safety Code.

B.__A residential care facility with 4 to 16 beds must comply with the sections of the Life Safety Code that apply to small facilities and with the new residential board and care occupancy chapter if that facility is a new facility or with the existing residential board and care occupancy chapter if that facility is an existing facility.

C.__A residential care facility with more than 16 beds must comply with the sections of the Life Safety Code that apply to large facilities and with the new residential board and care occupancy chapter if that facility is a new facility or with the existing residential board and care occupancy chapter if that facility is an existing facility.

9.__Fire safety inspection and certificate of compliance required for licensure.__A fire safety inspection must be performed and a certificate of compliance must be provided to the department before a license to a residential care facility is issued.__Inspections must be scheduled to coincide with the term of the license.