--- title: HB 1086. Preston Fant and Brant Chesney Firefighter Safety Act; enact collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb1086 cite_as: HB 1086, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1086 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1086.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1086/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72592 date: 2026-05-11 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1085.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1087.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 978 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1086.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 1086 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2026-05-11 last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 sponsors: - Johnny Chastain - Lauren McDonald - Charles Cannon - Derrick McCollum - Rick Jasperse - Brent Cox - John Albers text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1086/2025 upstream_id: 2102323 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - firefighter safety - building construction - fire code - commercial buildings - public safety regulations --- # HB 1086. Preston Fant and Brant Chesney Firefighter Safety Act; enact ## Text House Bill 1086 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Chastain of the 7th, McDonald III of the 26th, Cannon of the 172nd, McCollum of the 30th, Jasperse of the 11th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 2 of Title 25 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to regulation of fire and other hazards to persons and property generally, so as to require notice to be posted upon certain buildings of the use of light-frame truss-type construction and engineered I-joists (EIJ); to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for enforcement; to provide for definitions; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Preston Fant and Brant Chesney Firefighter Safety Act." SECTION 2. Chapter 2 of Title 25 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to regulation of fire and other hazards to persons and property generally, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows: "25-2-13.1. (a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) 'Engineered I-joists' means structural elements consisting of a thin web of material sandwiched between two flanges, forming an 'I' shape. (2) 'Light-frame truss-type construction' means a type of construction for which the primary structural elements are formed by a system of repetitive wood or light gauge steel framing members. (b) The owner of any commercial or industrial building or structure, or any multiunit residential building or structure of three units or more, that uses light-frame truss-type construction or engineered I-joists (EIJ) shall post notice upon such building or structure with a sign or symbol approved by the Commissioner in a manner sufficient to warn persons conducting fire fighting or other emergency services of the existence of light-frame truss-type construction or engineered I-joists (EIJ). (c) The Commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Code section, including, but not limited to: (1) The dimensions and color of the sign or symbol required to be posted; (2) The time within which an owner of commercial, industrial, and multiunit residential buildings or structures that use light-frame truss-type construction or engineered I-joists (EIJ) shall be required to comply with this Code section; and (3) The location at each commercial, industrial, and multiunit residential building or structure that uses light-frame truss-type construction or engineered I-joists (EIJ) where such sign or symbol shall be posted. (d) The Commissioner, state fire marshal, and local fire marshals shall be authorized to enforce the provisions of this Code section. Any owner who fails to comply with subsection (b) of this Code section shall be subject to civil penalties under Code Section 25-2-37." SECTION 3. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. Georgia House Bill 1086 would require owners of commercial, industrial, and larger residential buildings built with light-frame truss or engineered I-joist construction to post warning signs for firefighters. ### Plain-language summary Light-frame truss-type construction and engineered I-joists (EIJ) are lightweight building materials that can fail faster than traditional lumber during a fire, creating extra danger for firefighters who don't know what they're dealing with. This bill, named for two firefighters, adds a new section to Georgia's fire safety code (O.C.G.A. Chapter 2 of Title 25) requiring owners of commercial buildings, industrial buildings, and residential buildings with three or more units to post a warning sign if the structure uses these materials. The State Fire Marshal's office (the Commissioner) would write rules covering the sign's size, color, required posting location, and deadlines for compliance. The Commissioner, the state fire marshal, and local fire marshals could all enforce the requirement, and owners who don't post a sign would face civil penalties under existing law (O.C.G.A. § 25-2-37). The bill also gives the act a short title and repeals conflicting laws. ### What it does - Adds a new Georgia Code section requiring warning signs on buildings built with light-frame truss construction or engineered I-joists (EIJ). - Applies the sign requirement to commercial buildings, industrial buildings, and residential buildings of three or more units. - Directs the state Fire Commissioner to write rules on the sign's appearance, posting location, and compliance deadlines. - Authorizes the Commissioner, the state fire marshal, and local fire marshals to enforce the requirement. - Makes owners who fail to post the required sign subject to existing civil penalties under O.C.G.A. § 25-2-37. - Names the law the 'Preston Fant and Brant Chesney Firefighter Safety Act.' ### Who it affects Owners of commercial and industrial buildings and multiunit residential buildings with three or more units that use light-frame truss or I-joist construction, along with the state Fire Commissioner's office, state and local fire marshals, and firefighters who respond to emergencies at these buildings. ### Why it matters Firefighters often cannot tell from the outside whether a building's structure is lightweight and prone to sudden collapse during a fire. Requiring visible warning signs would let responders make faster, safer decisions, while affected building owners would face new posting duties and possible penalties for noncompliance. ### Key provisions - Section 1 gives the act its short title, the 'Preston Fant and Brant Chesney Firefighter Safety Act.' - Section 2 adds new Code Section 25-2-13.1, defining 'engineered I-joists' and 'light-frame truss-type construction.' - Subsection (b) requires owners of covered buildings to post a Commissioner-approved sign or symbol warning of this construction type. - Subsection (c) directs the Commissioner to set rules on sign dimensions and color, compliance timelines, and required posting locations. - Subsection (d) authorizes the Commissioner, state fire marshal, and local fire marshals to enforce the law and subjects noncompliant owners to civil penalties under O.C.G.A. § 25-2-37. - Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-05-11) - Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 (2026-05-11) - Sponsors: Johnny Chastain, Lauren McDonald, Charles Cannon, Derrick McCollum, Rick Jasperse, Brent Cox, John Albers - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72592 > The history, votes, and amendments (978 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1086.md?full=1