House members head into caucus

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.