(a)  Notwithstanding Part 2 (commencing with Section 13100) of Division 12, Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 17910) of Division 13, and Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 18901) of Division 13, any city, county, or city and county may, by ordinance, make changes or modifications that are more stringent than the requirements published in the California Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety and the other regulations adopted pursuant to this part. Any changes or modifications that are more stringent than the requirements published in the California Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety shall be subject to subdivision (b) of Section 18941.5.

(b)  Nothing in this section shall authorize a local jurisdiction to mandate, nor prohibit a local jurisdiction from mandating, the installation of residential fire sprinkler systems within newly constructed dwelling units or in new additions to existing dwelling units, including, but not limited to, manufactured homes as defined in Section 18007.

(c)  Nothing in this section shall authorize a local jurisdiction to mandate, nor prohibit a local jurisdiction from mandating, the retrofitting of existing dwelling units for the installation of residential fire sprinkler systems, including, but not limited to, manufactured homes as defined in Section 18007.

(d)  Nothing in this section shall apply in any manner to litigation filed prior to January 1, 1991, regarding an ordinance or regulation which mandates the installation of residential fire sprinkler systems within newly constructed dwelling units or new additions to existing dwelling units.

(e)  This section shall not apply to fire and panic safety requirements for the public schools adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13143.

(f)  (1)  A city, county, or city and county that adopts an ordinance relating to fire and panic safety pursuant to this section shall delegate the enforcement of the ordinance to either of the following:

(A)  The chief of the fire authority of the city, county, or city and county, or his or her authorized representative.

(B)  The chief building official of the city, county, or city and county, or his or her authorized representative.

(2)  Any fee charged pursuant to the enforcement authority of this subdivision shall not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged, pursuant to Section 66014 of the Government Code.

(g)  On or before October 1, 1991, and each October 1 thereafter, the Department of Housing and Community Development, in conjunction with the office of the State Fire Marshal, shall transmit a report to the State Building Standards Commission on the more stringent requirements, adopted by a city, county, or city and county, pursuant to this section or adopted by a fire protection district and ratified pursuant to Section 13869.7, to the building standards relating to fire and panic safety adopted by the State Fire Marshal and contained in the California Building Standards Code. The report shall be for informational purposes only and shall include a summary by the department and the office of the reasons cited as the necessity for the more stringent requirements. The report required pursuant to this subdivision shall apply to any more stringent requirements adopted or ratified on or after January 1, 1991.

(h)  All structures governed by Part 2.7 (commencing with Section 18950) of Division 13 are exempt from the permissive authority granted by subdivision (a).

(Amended (as amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 661) by Stats. 1993, Ch. 906, Sec. 12. Effective October 8, 1993. Operative January 1, 1994, by Sec. 24 of Ch. 906.)