Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §8103, as amended by PL 2001, c. 515, §1 and c. 596, Pt. B, §19 and affected by §25, is further amended to read:

§8103. Fire safety; inspections for children's homes

1. Procedures. All procedures and other provisions included in section 7904-A, subsections 1 and 2, for boarding care facilities also apply to children's homes, except that the written statement referred to in section 7904-A, subsection 1 need not be furnished annually by the Commissioner of Public Safety to the department for a facility licensed as a family foster home or a specialized children's home. In these instances an inspection must be performed every 2 years.

1. Procedures. All procedures and other provisions included in section 7855, subsections 1 and 2 for residential care facilities also apply to children's homes, except that the written statement referred to in section 7855, subsection 1 need not be furnished annually by the Commissioner of Public Safety to the department when a children's home serves only one or 2 children.

1-A.__Inspection required.__Except as provided in subsection 2, the department may not issue a license to operate to a children's home 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 must indicate that the children's home has complied with applicable fire safety provisions referred to in Title 25, section 2452.

2. Temporary license. The department may issue a temporary license to operate a family foster home, as defined by section 8101, subsection 3, without complying with the requirement to receive a written, signed statement under subsection 1, 1-A prior to issuing the license, as long as a preliminary evaluation of the home reveals no obvious fire safety violations.

3.__Fees.__The department shall establish and pay reasonable fees to the Commissioner of Public Safety for each inspection required pursuant to subsection 1-A.

4.__Requirements for facilities with 17 or more beds.__A children's home that has a capacity of 17 or more beds must comply with the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association, Residential Board and Care Occupancies sections for large facilities as adopted by the Commissioner of Public Safety.