MADISON, Wis. (WRN) — State Senator LaTonya Johnson is introducing legislation that would allow communities to require stricter fire safety standards in apartments and rentals.
The Milwaukee Democrat says older, cheaper rentals aren’t currently required to have sprinklers and other fire safety systems.
“People living in these buildings don’t get to choose whether their apartments have modern Fire Protection. They just pay their rent in the places that they can afford to live and hope for the best,” Johnson said.
Current state law allows for older buildings to pass inspection without fire control systems. Johnson says that sort of lax standard led to a deadly Milwaukee fire this spring that killed 5 people and displaced 100.