In a March 19th editorial in The Inquirer, the newspaper scolded the state legislature for voting to repeal a new law reuiring fire sprinklers in all new single-family homes.   

The law has been in effect since January 1st.  In the editorial they make all the traditional arguments for fire sprinklers including the small cost impact on initial construction and the benefit to homeowners insurance premiums.

While we are sympathetic to the effort to keep government interference in our lives to a minimum, it seems hypocritical that the government still mandates fire spriklers in our work places, hospitals, sports centers and jails, but not in the homes where we and our families live and sleep.  Thousands of people die in home fires every year and as the editorial correctly cites "A Maryland county that required sprinklers found that there were no residential fire fatalities in sprinkler-equipped homes over a 15-year period."  The argument for fire sprinklers in new homes is compelling.