[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 79 (Monday, April 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 20304]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10395]


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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Applicability of Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act to Colleges and 
Universities

AGENCY: U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We (FEMA) give notice of the applicability of the Hotel and 
Motel Fire Safety Act to colleges and universities. Colleges and 
universities that hold meetings, conferences, seminars and other 
activities sponsored or funded in whole or part by Federal monies must 
comply with the fire prevention and control guidelines under the Hotel 
and Motel Fire Safety Act, including installation of smoke detectors, 
and sprinkler systems where applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Ottoson, Project Officer, Hotel 
and Motel Fire Safety, USFA, 16825 S. Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD 
21727. Inquiries may also be made by telephone (301) 447-1272, by 
facsimile (301) 447-1102, or by email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Policy

    Colleges and universities that hold meetings, conferences, seminars 
and other activities sponsored or funded in whole or part by Federal 
monies must comply with the fire prevention and control guidelines 
under the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act, including installation of 
fire and smoke detectors, and sprinkler systems where applicable.

Background

    The Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990, 15 U.S.C. 2225a et 
seq., set standards for fire prevention and control in places of public 
accommodation affecting commerce. The Act requires federal employees on 
travel to stay in public accommodations that adhere to the life safety 
requirements in the legislation guidelines. The Act also states that 
federally funded meetings and conferences cannot be held in properties 
that do not comply with the law. These requirements include 
installation of hard-wired, single station smoke detectors in each 
guest room of each place of public accommodation, and an automatic 
sprinkler system in each place of public accommodation that is more 
than three stories in height. Properties three stories or lower in 
height are exempt from the sprinkler requirement.
    The Act further requires each State to submit to the Director of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) a list of places of 
public accommodation in the State that comply with the Act's fire 
safety standards. FEMA compiles, maintains, and publishes a National 
Master List of Fire Safe Hotels and Motels on the Internet at http://
www.fema.gov/hotel. Under the Act a property is in compliance when it 
is included in the National Master List.
    We list facilities when their owners or proprietors certify that 
they meet the requirements of the Act and send the certificate to the 
State Project Officer in the jurisdiction where the facility is 
located. When the State Project Officer approves, we add the name of 
the facility to the list. You can obtain forms for certification and a 
list of State Project Officers from Project Officer John Ottoson. (See 
For Further Information Contact, above).

Applicability to Colleges and Universities

    We asked the General Counsel of FEMA whether colleges and 
universities that hold meetings, conferences, seminars and other 
activities sponsored or funded in whole or part by Federal monies must 
comply with the fire prevention and control guidelines under the Hotel 
and Motel Fire Safety Act, including installation of fire and smoke 
detectors, and sprinkler systems where applicable. In a formal opinion 
the General Counsel determined that the Act applies to those 
circumstances.

Provisions From the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act

    Section 6(a) of the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. 
2225a provides: ``no Federal funds may be used to sponsor or fund in 
whole or in part a meeting, convention, conference, or training seminar 
that is conducted in, or that otherwise uses the rooms, facilities, or 
services of, a place of public accommodation that does not meet the 
requirements of the fire prevention and control guidelines described in 
section 2225 of this title.''
    A ``place of public accommodation'' or ``place of public 
accommodation affecting commerce'' is defined in 15 U.S.C. 2203(7) as: 
``any inn, hotel, or other establishment not owned by the Federal 
Government that provides lodging to transient guests, except that such 
term does not include an establishment treated as an apartment building 
for purposes of any State or local law or regulation or an 
establishment located within a building that contains not more than 5 
rooms for rent or hire and that is actually occupied as a residence by 
the proprietor of such establishment.''

Facilities Included

    The facilities would include any dormitories or other college- or 
university-owned buildings used to house and serve attendees at the 
meeting, conference, seminar, or other activity that is funded in whole 
or in part by Federal funds. If the college or university elects to 
hold such activities without Federal funding or sponsorship, the 
requirement of the Act would not apply. However, if the Master List 
does not include the facilities in accordance with the Act, the Act 
encourages Federal agencies not to have their employees attend or stay 
in such facilities.

Exceptions

    The only exceptions are for: (1) facilities owned by the Federal 
Government; (2) facilities treated as an apartment building for 
purposes of any State or local law or regulation; or (3) buildings that 
contain not more than 5 rooms for rent or hire and are occupied as a 
residence by the proprietor. Neither the Act nor any part of the 
legislative history makes any exception to this requirement for 
colleges and universities.

    Dated: April 19, 1999.
Carrye B. Brown,
United States Fire Administrator.
[FR Doc. 99-10395 Filed 4-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-08-P