RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- COMMERCIAL KITCHEN EXHAUST SYSTEM, INSPECTION AND CLEANING, LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION ACT
S2647 creates the “Commercial Kitchen Exhaust System Inspection and Cleaning Licensing and Certification Act” and places oversight with the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM). The bill would require individuals and businesses that inspect or clean commercial kitchen exhaust systems to obtain state certification and/or licensure, meet training and experience requirements, pass an approved exam, and maintain required insurance coverage. It also establishes renewal requirements, recordkeeping obligations, and a restricted receipt account to fund administration of the program.
The bill defines key terms such as commercial kitchen exhaust systems, critical conditions, and approved examinations, and it requires decals to be placed on hoods after service showing the date, technician, and license/certificate numbers. If a technician discovers a critical condition, the bill requires written notice to the authority having jurisdiction and the client within 24 hours, with photos or video. The OSFM is authorized to adopt regulations, deny or revoke credentials, assess administrative penalties, issue cease-and-desist orders, and refer repeat violations for misdemeanor prosecution. The act takes effect January 1, 2029.
The bill would add a new chapter to Title 23 of the Rhode Island General Laws and create a new regulatory licensing scheme for commercial kitchen exhaust inspection and cleaning work. It would affect contractors, technicians, and business entities in the fire protection and commercial kitchen maintenance industries by imposing credentialing, insurance, training, notice, and compliance requirements, while also giving the OSFM enforcement authority and fee-based program funding.
The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill. The Senate Committee on Commerce voted 5-0 to hold the bill for further study, and the full Senate later passed it unanimously 36-0. The bill’s findings frame it as a public safety measure intended to reduce fire risk and protect life and property, and there is no transcript evidence of opposition in the materials provided.
No specific committee testimony or floor debate is provided, so the record does not identify detailed objections. The main potential points of contention inherent in the bill are the new licensing and certification burdens, the required insurance and training standards, the fee structure, and the OSFM’s broad discretion to set application requirements and enforce penalties. Those requirements would most directly affect existing exhaust cleaning businesses, technicians seeking certification, and property owners or operators who rely on those services.