Saint Paul, Minn. — The Minnesota House of Representatives today approved legislation authored by Rep. Mohamud Noor to protect public safety by requiring automatic sprinklers for high-rise buildings (House File 109). Legislators approved the bill with strong bipartisan support, voting 103-30 for its passage. Rep. Noor authored HF 109 in response to a Nov. 25, 2019 fire that broke out on the upper floors of the Cedar High Apartments, killing five people.
“I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting this bill, which will improve public safety and prevent the tragic loss of life my community experienced during the Thanksgiving holiday of 2019,” said Rep. Noor. “Our community lost so much in that fire and we continue to reel from it. By approving this bill, the Minnesota House is honoring the lives we lost that day and ensuring their memory lives on.”
Rep. Noor’s bill requires existing buildings that are 75 feet or higher (typically seven floors or more), and have at least one story used for human occupancy, to install fully operational sprinklers by August 1, 2033. This bill also provides the option for the Dept. of Labor and Industry (DOLI) to appoint a working group to advise the department on applications for possible extensions. HF 109 is strongly supported by the Minnesota Fire Association Coalition, which includes the State Fire Marshal, the fire chiefs, and the State Fire Dept. Association.