Both parties in the House are headed into caucus, after the House completed its business for the day and adjourned until 8:30 a.m. tomorrow. Among the bills debated today was HB 218a, a measure from Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, that was amended in the Senate and is aimed at removing fire code requirements for sprinkler systems in certain homes. "There isn't any science ... to tell us that provides any better protection or saves any more lives than smoke detectors," Hart told the House. "The smoke detector for about 1 or 2 percent of the cost of the fire sprinklers will do as good a job." The amended bill won House support, 60-6, though several House members spoke against it. It now heads to the governor's desk.

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