Rulemaking required to allow single-exit stairway apartment buildings as part of State Building Code.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Katie Jones and 1 co-sponsor

The bill directs Minnesota to adopt rules permitting single-exit stairway apartment buildings in the State Building Code, with rules starting by April 1, 2027.

Introduction and first reading, referred to Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

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Purpose and Intent

HF 4545 would require the Minnesota State Building Code to address single-exit stairway apartment buildings. Specifically, it directs the state to adopt rules that permit such buildings as part of the State Building Code, based on the final recommendations of the 2025 Minnesota Single-Exit Stairway Apartment Building Study. The effective date for the new rulemaking is April 1, 2027.

Key Provisions and Changes

Section amended: Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 326B.106, subdivision 4 (Special requirements) to existing list of code considerations.

New provision added (new text):

(o) Single-exit stairway apartment buildings:
Beginning April 1, 2027, the commissioner must adopt rules to allow single-exit stairway apartment buildings as part of the State Building Code.
The rulemaking process may determine specific requirements, but must align with the final recommendations of the 2025 Minnesota Single-Exit Stairway Apartment Building Study.

Effective date for the new rule: April 1, 2027.

Who and What Are Affected

Affected subjects:

State Building Code and its application to apartment buildings.
Local jurisdictions implementing and enforcing the State Building Code.

Stakeholders likely impacted:

Apartment developers, owners, and landlords seeking to construct or modify buildings with a single exit per stairway.
Building code officials and inspectors who will interpret and enforce the updated rules.
Tenants and residents of apartment buildings potentially affected by changes in egress requirements.

Related processes:

Rulemaking conducted by the commissioner (state regulatory agency) to implement the change.
The guiding study (“2025 Minnesota Single-Exit Stairway Apartment Building Study”) that informs final rule content.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Route: The bill amends the State Building Code requirements through mandated rulemaking by the commissioner.

Timeline:

April 1, 2027: Effective date for commencing and implementing the new rulemaking to permit single-exit stairway apartment buildings.
Rules themselves (the specifics of what is allowed or required) would be developed during the rulemaking process and must reflect the study’s final recommendations.

Status: Introduced and referred to appropriate committees (Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy) on March 23, 2026. Co-sponsors: Katie Jones and Larry Kraft.

Practical Impact and Considerations

Flexibility for developers: The bill opens the possibility of constructing or converting apartment buildings to single-exit stair configurations, subject to approved rules.

Safety and compliance: Rules will be informed by the 2025 study to balance egress safety with practical building design, potentially including standards, triggers, or mitigations as part of the final adopted code provisions.

Regional variation: As with all State Building Code changes, local jurisdictions will need to adapt codes, inspections, and permitting processes to align with the new statewide rules.

Bottom Line

HF 4545 directs the state to create rules permitting single-exit stairway apartment buildings within the State Building Code, guided by a dedicated study, with the rulemaking and implementation set to begin no earlier than April 1, 2027. This represents a policy shift to expand egress configurations for certain multi-unit residential buildings in Minnesota, contingent on finalized regulatory language.

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