North Carolina Elevator Safety Bill Advancing

In response to the death of a 7-year-old child last summer at a rental home, legislation is advancing in the North Carolina Senate that would require elevators inside vacation cottages or similar short-term rentals to meet safety standards, including the use of space guards or baffles to prevent a small child from being trapped, Fox News reports along with other outlets. The measure cleared a Senate committee on June 15 and could be on the floor soon. The bill would no longer exempt elevators in such short-term rentals from state Department of Labor (DoL) regulation, although annual inspections wouldn’t be required. Elevator owners would have to tell the DoL the improvement was made, the bill says, and if not completed, the elevator’s electrical supply would have to be disconnected.The bill, which would have to pass the House as well, also would direct state building code to require such elevator safety measures in new short-term rental construction.