Emergency escape (EERO) for dormitory

[ThatOneGuy]

Hi all, I'm getting really confused because I'm referencing both the 2015 and 2021 IBC, sections 1030 and 1031 respectively. Short version, Are EERO required in an R-2 occupancy that DOES have two means of egress per story?

2015 reads [paraphrased] "EERO required in Group R-2 in accordance with Tables 1006.3.2(1) and (2)." Those tables lay out that stories can only have one exit with a maximum of 4 dwelling units.
2021 reads [also paraphrased] "EERO shall be provided in the following: 1. Group R2 in stories with only one exit (as permitted by table 1006.3.4(1)) and 2. Group R-3 and R-4". But then it goes on to state sleeping rooms below the 4th story shall have EERO. Then it lists 5 exceptions including one for sprinklered basements that wasn't in the 2015 edition.

If I'm reading this right, EERO are only required for an R-2 in stories with only one exit. And the discrepancy between 2015 and 2021 was an attempt to clarify this point. Unfortunately the arrangement of the paragraphs and the following exceptions still has me questioning if I understand this correctly.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[RLGA]

EEROs are only required when one means of egress is provided from a story in Group R-2.

 

[Yikes]

Please confirm the location of the building. California has modified the code to eliminate the 2 MOE exception.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

New Mexico, so no that wouldn't apply but in my case but that is interesting. Do you know the reasoning behind it? I see that they also added an exception when the building is both sprinklered and rated construction: https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/CABC2022P2/chapter-10-means-of-egress#CABC2022P2_Ch10_Sec1031