A4480 1R [First Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As introduced.reported by the Assembly Housing Committee on May 14, 2026, with amendments.

            1.  a.

     “Property owner” means the owner of a multistory building.       b.  Within 18 months of the date of enactment of P.L.   P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), a property owner shall ensure access to and from each floor of the multistory building for persons with a disability, including in the event of an elevator outage through:

     (3)  Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection to the contrary, a property owner shall not be liable for a penalty if the property owner can demonstrate an active contract with an elevator servicer 1stating that an elevator repair will be completed within two hours of report of an elevator outage1 or the presence of alternative means of access to and from each floor of the multistory building.

            2.  The Director of the Division of Codes and Standards in the Department of Community Affairs shall establish a grant program 1, low-interest loan program, or both,1 to assist property owners in purchasing accessibility equipment utilizing funds made available to the division for such purpose.

of section 1 of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), a property owner experiencing financial hardship or structural limitations may apply to the Division of Codes and Standards in the Department of Community Affairs for an extension of not more than 12 months to comply with the provisions of P.L.   P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) in a form and manner to be determined by the director of the division.

    STATEMENT        This bill requires owners of multistory buildings, as that term is defined in the bill, to ensure access to and from each floor of the multistory building for persons with a disability, including in the event of an elevator outage through (1) restoration of elevator service within two hours of notification of an elevator outage;

or (2) alternative means of access to and from each floor of a multistory building which may include evacuation chairs, ramps, and motorized stairlifts.       The Division of Codes and Standards in the Department of Community Affairs is to be tasked with the enforcement of the provisions of the bill and required to receive reports of violations of bill, conduct inspections of multistory buildings, conduct investigations of violations of the bill, and impose penalties.  A property owner would not be liable for a penalty, however, if they can demonstrate an active contract with an elevator servicer or the presence of alternative means of access to and from each floor of the multistory building.

     The bill requires property owners to comply with its provisions within 18 months of enactment, but allows a property owner experiencing financial hardship or structural limitations to seek an extension of not more than 12 additional months from the division.

     The bill requires the division establish a grant program to assist property owners in purchasing accessibility equipment utilizing funds made available to the division for such purpose.

     The bill also permits the Director of the Division of Codes and Standards to recommend, and the Commissioner of Community Affairs to adopt, revisions to the barrier free subcode to ensure persons with a disability have sufficient access to each floor of a multistory building, including in the event of an elevator outage.

     The bill also expressly permits municipalities to adopt ordinances consistent with the bill’s provisions and impose additional penalties for violations of such ordinances.