Last Thursday Gov. Eric Holcomb ceremonially signed into law legislation sponsored by State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) supporting firefighter safety and housing affordability. The bill signing took place at the 42nd Annual Indiana Professional Firefighters Union Convention in Carmel. Pressel, owner of a home building and remodeling business and former president of the Indiana Builders Association, said the new law creates a reporting system to inform fire departments of any new structures in their jurisdiction built with advanced structural components. According to Pressel, this information is important to firefighters because these materials, though more cost-efficient, environmentally friendly and structurally sound, can burn at a faster rate. Building commissioners will be required to notify local fire departments as well as 911 call centers of any structures using advanced structural components no more than 90 days after issuing a building permit. These call centers will have to maintain and relay this information in the event of an emergency run to that address. The law also requires the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission to update Indiana’s residential building code by Jan. 1, 2020. This new law goes into effect July 1.