3.__Fees.__The department shall establish and pay reasonable fees to the Commissioner of Public Safety for each inspection required pursuant to subsection 1-A.

4.__Requirements for facilities with 17 or more beds.__A children's home that has a capacity of 17 or more beds must comply with the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association, Residential Board and Care Occupancies sections for large facilities as adopted by the Commissioner of Public Safety.

5.__Requirements for children's home with more than 3 but fewer than 17 beds.__A children's home that has a capacity of more than 3 but fewer than 17 beds must comply with the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association, Residential Board and Care Occupancies sections for small facilities as adopted by the Commissioner of Public Safety.__In addition, automatic emergency lights must be provided in the number and location required by the Commissioner of Public Safety.

6.__Requirements for children's home with 6 or fewer beds.__ Notwithstanding subsection 5, the department may consider a children's home that has 6 or fewer residents, all of whom__can evacuate the home without the assistance of another person in 3 minutes or less, to be in compliance with the one-family and 2- family dwelling requirements of the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association as adopted by the Commissioner of Public Safety.__Facilities having 3 or fewer residents must meet the requirements of the one-family and 2- family dwelling chapter of the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association as adopted by the Commissioner of Public Safety.

7.__Local regulations.__Nothing in this section prevents a locality from imposing requirements for children's homes more stringent than those required in this section.

Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §2452, 2nd ¶ from the end, as amended by PL 1997, c. 728, §25, is further amended to read:

Existing buildings licensed pursuant to Title 22, subtitle Subtitle 6, having more than 6 boarders, with the exception of boarding board and care facilities and children's homes, must comply with any rules for residential-custodial care facilities