(a) On or before January 1, 2000, the State Fire Marshal shall adopt regulations and standards to control the quality and installation of burglar bars and safety release mechanisms for emergency escape/rescue windows or doors installed, marketed, distributed, offered for sale, or sold in this state.
(b) On and after July 1, 2000, no person shall install, market, distribute, offer for sale, or sell burglar bars and safety release mechanisms for emergency escape/rescue windows or doors in this state unless the burglar bars and safety release mechanisms have been approved by a testing laboratory recognized by the State Fire Marshal.
(c) As used in this section:
(1) “Burglar bars” means security bars located on the inside or outside of a door or window of a residential dwelling.
(2) “Residential dwelling” means a house, apartment, motel, hotel, or other type of residential dwelling subject to the State Housing Law (Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 17910) of Division 13) and a manufactured home, mobilehome, and multiunit manufactured housing as defined in the Mobilehomes-Manufactured Housing Act of 1980 (Part 2 (commencing with Section 18000) of Division 13).
(3) “Emergency escape/rescue windows or doors” means the exits required by Section 1-310.4 of the 1998 edition of the California Building Standards Code, or its successor.
(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 550, Sec. 26.5. Effective September 28, 1999.)