[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 481 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 481

 To encourage States to require the installation of residential carbon 
          monoxide detectors in homes, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 13, 2019

  Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Mr. Hoeven) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To encourage States to require the installation of residential carbon 
          monoxide detectors in homes, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial 
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced 
        by burning any fuel. Exposure to unhealthy levels of carbon 
        monoxide can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, a serious 
        health condition that could result in death.
            (2) Unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning from motor 
        vehicles and improper operation of fuel-burning appliances, 
        such as furnaces, water heaters, portable generators, and 
        stoves, annually kills more than 400 individuals and sends 
        approximately 15,000 individuals to hospital emergency rooms 
        for treatment.
            (3) Research shows that installing carbon monoxide alarms 
        close to the sleeping areas in residential homes and other 
        dwelling units can help avoid fatalities.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that Congress 
should promote the installation of carbon monoxide alarms in 
residential homes and dwelling units across the United States in order 
to promote the health and public safety of citizens throughout the 
United States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Carbon monoxide alarm.--The term ``carbon monoxide 
        alarm'' means a device or system that--
                    (A) detects carbon monoxide; and
                    (B) is intended to sound an alarm at a carbon 
                monoxide concentration below a concentration that could 
                cause a loss of the ability to react to the dangers of 
                carbon monoxide exposure.
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Consumer 
        Product Safety Commission.
            (3) Compliant carbon monoxide alarm.--The term ``compliant 
        carbon monoxide alarm'' means a carbon monoxide alarm that 
        complies with the most current version of--
                    (A) the Standard for Single and Multiple Station 
                Carbon Monoxide Alarms of the American National 
                Standards Institute and UL (ANSI/UL 2034), or any 
                successor standard; and
                    (B) the Standard for Gas and Vapor Detectors and 
                Sensors of the American National Standards Institute 
                and UL (ANSI/UL 2075), or any successor standard.
            (4) Dwelling unit.--The term ``dwelling unit''--
                    (A) means a room or suite of rooms used for human 
                habitation; and
                    (B) includes--
                            (i) a single family residence;
                            (ii) each living unit of a multiple family 
                        residence, including an apartment building; and
                            (iii) each living unit in a mixed use 
                        building.
            (5) Fire code enforcement officials.--The term ``fire code 
        enforcement officials'' means officials of the fire safety code 
        enforcement agency of a State or local government or a tribal 
        organization.
            (6) NFPA 720.--The term ``NFPA 720'' means--
                    (A) the Standard for the Installation of Carbon 
                Monoxide Detection and Warning Equipment issued by the 
                National Fire Protection Association in 2012; and
                    (B) any amended or similar successor standard 
                relating to the proper installation of carbon monoxide 
                alarms in dwelling units.
            (7) State.--The term ``State''--
                    (A) has the meaning given the term in section 3(a) 
                of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2052(a)); 
                and
                    (B) includes--
                            (i) the Commonwealth of the Northern 
                        Mariana Islands; and
                            (ii) any political subdivision of a State.
            (8) Tribal organization.--The term ``tribal organization'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 4(l) of the Indian 
        Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
        5304(l)).

SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING PREVENTION.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations 
authorized under subsection (f), the Commission shall establish a grant 
program to provide assistance to States and tribal organizations that 
are eligible under subsection (b) to carry out the carbon monoxide 
poisoning prevention activities described in subsection (e).
    (b) Eligibility.--For the purposes of this section, an eligible 
State or tribal organization is any State or tribal organization that--
            (1) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Commission that 
        the State or tribal organization has adopted a statute or a 
        rule, regulation, or similar measure that--
                    (A) has the force and effect of law; and
                    (B) requires compliant carbon monoxide alarms to be 
                installed in dwelling units in accordance with NFPA 
                720; and
            (2) submits an application--
                    (A) to the Commission at such time, in such form, 
                and containing such additional information as the 
                Commission may require; and
                    (B) that may be filed on behalf of the State or 
                tribal organization by the fire safety code enforcement 
                agency of that State or tribal organization.
    (c) Grant Amount.--The Commission shall determine the amount of 
each grant awarded under this section.
    (d) Selection of Grant Recipients.--In selecting eligible States 
and tribal organizations for the award of grants under this section, 
the Commission shall give favorable consideration to an eligible State 
or tribal organization that--
            (1) requires the installation of a compliant carbon 
        monoxide alarm in a new or existing educational facility, 
        childcare facility, health care facility, adult dependent care 
        facility, government building, restaurant, theater, lodging 
        establishment, or dwelling unit--
                    (A) within which a fuel-burning appliance, 
                including a furnace, boiler, water heater, fireplace, 
                or any other apparatus, appliance, or device that burns 
                fuel, is installed; or
                    (B) that has an attached garage; and
            (2) has developed a strategy to protect vulnerable 
        populations, such as children, the elderly, or low-income 
        households, from exposure to unhealthy levels of carbon 
        monoxide.
    (e) Use of Grant Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), an eligible 
        State or tribal organization to which a grant is awarded under 
        this section may use the grant--
                    (A) to purchase and install compliant carbon 
                monoxide alarms in the dwelling units of low-income 
                families or elderly individuals, facilities that 
                commonly serve children or the elderly (including 
                childcare facilities, public schools, and senior 
                centers), or student dwelling units owned by public 
                universities;
                    (B) to train State, tribal organization, or local 
                fire code enforcement officials in the proper 
                enforcement of State, tribal, or local laws regarding 
                compliant carbon monoxide alarms and the installation 
                of those alarms in accordance with NFPA 720;
                    (C) for the development and dissemination of 
                training materials, instructors, and any other costs 
                relating to the training sessions authorized under this 
                subsection; or
                    (D) to educate the public about--
                            (i) the risk associated with carbon 
                        monoxide as a poison; and
                            (ii) the importance of proper carbon 
                        monoxide alarm use.
            (2) Limitations.--
                    (A) Administrative costs.--An eligible State or 
                tribal organization to which a grant is awarded under 
                this section may use not more than 5 percent of the 
                grant amount to cover administrative costs that are not 
                directly related to training described in paragraph 
                (1)(B).
                    (B) Public outreach.--An eligible State or tribal 
                organization to which a grant is awarded under this 
                section may use not more than 25 percent of the grant 
                amount to cover the costs of activities described in 
                paragraph (1)(D).
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), there is 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Commission, for each of 
        fiscal years 2019 through 2023, $2,000,000 to carry out this 
        Act, which shall remain available until expended.
            (2) Limitation on administrative expenses.--In a fiscal 
        year, not more than 10 percent of the amounts appropriated or 
        otherwise made available to carry out this Act may be used for 
        administrative expenses.
            (3) Retention of amounts.--Any amounts appropriated under 
        this subsection that remain unexpended and unobligated on 
        September 30, 2023, shall be retained by the Commission and 
        credited to the appropriations account that funds the 
        enforcement of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2051 
        et seq.).
    (g) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the last day of each 
fiscal year in which grants are awarded under this section, the 
Commission shall submit to Congress a report that evaluates the 
implementation of the grant program required under this section.
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