NJ Bill Would Protect Residents During Elevator Outages

Under proposed bill A4480, New Jersey building owners will face fines if they fail to restore elevator service within a given time frame or provide Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant alternatives for those unable to use stairs, outlets including PIX11 report. “Seniors, people with disabilities and families with children should never feel imprisoned in their own homes because of a landlord’s failure to act,” said Sen. Britnee Timberlake, who introduced the legislation with Assemblyman Kenyatta Stewart. Elevator alternatives could include evacuation chairs, ramps and motorized stairlifts to help residents enter and exit each floor of a multistory building. Proposed fines range from US$500 for the first violation in a calendar year up to US$2,500 for any violation “deemed to create an acute health or safety risk,” including an additional US$2,500 fine for each continuing violation tied to that risk.