II 

Calendar No. 323 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1250 

[Report No. 114–179] 

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 

MAY 7, 2015 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, and Mr. MENENDEZ) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation 

DECEMBER 14, 2015 

Reported by Mr. THUNE, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To encourage States to require the installation of residential 

carbon monoxide detectors in homes, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nicholas and Zachary 

3 Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention 

4 Act of 2015’’. 

5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

6 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas 

8 produced by burning any fuel. Exposure to un9 healthy levels of carbon monoxide can lead to carbon 

10 monoxide poisoning, a serious health condition that 

11 could result in death. 

12 (2) Unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning 

13 from motor vehicles and the abnormal operation of 

14 fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, water 

15 heaters, portable generators, and stoves, kills more 

16 than 400 people each year and sends more than 

17 15,000 to hospital emergency rooms for treatment. 

18 (3) Research shows that purchasing and install19 ing carbon monoxide alarms close to the sleeping 

20 areas in residential homes and other dwelling units 

21 can help avoid fatalities. 

22 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con23 gress that Congress should promote the purchase and in24 stallation of carbon monoxide alarms in residential homes 

25 and dwelling units nationwide in order to promote the 


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1 health and public safety of citizens throughout the United 

2 States. 

3 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

4 In this Act: 

5 (1) CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.—The term 

6 ‘‘carbon monoxide alarm’’ means a device or system 

7 that— 

8 (A) detects carbon monoxide; and 

9 (B) is intended to alarm at carbon mon10 oxide concentrations below those that could 

11 cause a loss of ability to react to the dangers 

12 of carbon monoxide exposure. 

13 (2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

14 means the Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

15 (3) COMPLIANT CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.— 

16 The term ‘‘compliant carbon monoxide alarm’’ 

17 means a carbon monoxide alarm that complies with 

18 the most current version of— 

19 (A) the American National Standard for 

20 Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide 

21 Alarms (ANSI/UL 2034); and 

22 (B) the American National Standard for 

23 Gas and Vapor Detectors and Sensors (ANSI/ 

24 UL 2075). 


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1 (4) DWELLING UNIT.—The term ‘‘dwelling 

2 unit’’ means a room or suite of rooms used for 

3 human habitation, and includes a single family resi4 dence as well as each living unit of a multiple family 

5 residence (including apartment buildings) and each 

6 living unit in a mixed use building. 

7 (5) FIRE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.— 

8 The term ‘‘fire code enforcement officials’’ means of9 ficials of the fire safety code enforcement agency of 

10 a State or local government. 

11 (6) NFPA 720.—The term ‘‘NFPA 720’’ 

12 means— 

13 (A) the Standard for the Installation of 

14 Carbon Monoxide Detection and Warning 

15 Equipment issued by the National Fire Protec16 tion Association in 2012; and 

17 (B) any amended or similar successor 

18 standard pertaining to the proper installation of 

19 carbon monoxide alarms in dwelling units. 

20 (7) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean21 ing given such term in section 3 of the Consumer 

22 Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2052) and includes 

23 the Northern Mariana Islands and any political sub24 division of a State. 


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1 SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CARBON MONOXIDE POI2 SONING PREVENTION. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap4 propriations authorized under subsection (f), the Commis5 sion shall establish a grant program to provide assistance 

6 to eligible States to carry out the carbon monoxide poi7 soning prevention activities described in subsection (e). 

8 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—For purposes of this section, an 

9 eligible State is any State that— 

10 (1) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the 

11 Commission that the State has adopted a statute or 

12 a rule, regulation, or similar measure with the force 

13 and effect of law, requiring compliant carbon mon14 oxide alarms to be installed in dwelling units in ac15 cordance with NFPA 720; and 

16 (2) submits an application to the Commission 

17 at such time, in such form, and containing such ad18 ditional information as the Commission may require, 

19 which application may be filed on behalf of the State 

20 by the fire code enforcement officials for such State. 

21 (c) GRANT AMOUNT.—The Commission shall deter22 mine the amount of the grants awarded under this section. 

23 (d) SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.—In select24 ing eligible States for the award of grants under this sec25 tion, the Commission shall give favorable consideration to 

26 an eligible State that— 


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1 (1) requires the installation of compliant carbon 

2 monoxide alarms in new or existing educational fa3 cilities, childcare facilities, health care facilities, 

4 adult dependent care facilities, government build5 ings, restaurants, theaters, lodging establishments, 

6 or dwelling units— 

7 (A) within which a fuel-burning appliance 

8 is installed, including a furnace, boiler, water 

9 heater, fireplace, or any other apparatus, appli10 ance, or device that burns fuel; or 

11 (B) which has an attached garage; and 

12 (2) has developed a strategy to protect vulner13 able populations such as children, the elderly, or 

14 low-income households. 

15 (e) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible State receiving a 

17 grant under this section may use such grant— 

18 (A) to purchase and install compliant car19 bon monoxide alarms in the dwelling units of 

20 low-income families or elderly persons, facilities 

21 that commonly serve children or the elderly, in22 cluding childcare facilities, public schools, and 

23 senior centers, or student dwelling units owned 

24 by public universities; 


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1 (B) to train State or local fire code en2 forcement officials in the proper enforcement of 

3 State or local laws concerning compliant carbon 

4 monoxide alarms and the installation of such 

5 alarms in accordance with NFPA 720; 

6 (C) for the development and dissemination 

7 of training materials, instructors, and any other 

8 costs related to the training sessions authorized 

9 by this subsection; and 

10 (D) to educate the public about the risk 

11 associated with carbon monoxide as a poison 

12 and the importance of proper carbon monoxide 

13 alarm use. 

14 (2) LIMITATIONS.— 

15 (A) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more 

16 than 10 percent of any grant amount received 

17 under this section may be used to cover admin18 istrative costs not directly related to training 

19 described in paragraph (1)(B). 

20 (B) PUBLIC OUTREACH.—Not more than 

21 25 percent of any grant amount received under 

22 this section may be used to cover costs of activi23 ties described in paragraph (1)(D). 

24 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

2 there is authorized to be appropriated to the Com3 mission, for each of the fiscal years 2015 through 

4 2019, $2,000,000, which shall remain available until 

5 expended to carry out this Act. 

6 (2) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EX7 PENSES.—Not more than 10 percent of the amounts 

8 appropriated or otherwise made available to carry 

9 out this section may be used for administrative ex10 penses. 

11 (3) RETENTION OF AMOUNTS.—Any amounts 

12 appropriated pursuant to this subsection that re13 main unexpended and unobligated on September 30, 

14 2019, shall be retained by the Commission and cred15 ited to the appropriations account that funds the en16 forcement of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 

17 U.S.C. 2051). 

18 (g) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the last 

19 day of each fiscal year for which grants are awarded under 

20 this section, the Commission shall submit to Congress a 

21 report that evaluates the implementation of the grant pro22 gram required by this section. 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nicholas and Zachary 

3 Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act 

4 of 2015’’. 

5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

6 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas 

8 produced by burning any fuel. Exposure to unhealthy 

9 levels of carbon monoxide can lead to carbon mon10 oxide poisoning, a serious health condition that could 

11 result in death. 

12 (2) Unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning 

13 from motor vehicles and improper operation of fuel14 burning appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, 

15 portable generators, and stoves, kills more than 400 

16 people each year and sends approximately 15,000 to 

17 hospital emergency rooms for treatment. 

18 (3) Research shows that installing carbon mon19 oxide alarms close to the sleeping areas in residential 

20 homes and other dwelling units can help avoid fatali21 ties. 

22 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 

23 that Congress should promote the installation of carbon 

24 monoxide alarms in residential homes and dwelling units 

25 nationwide in order to promote the health and public safety 

26 of citizens throughout the United States. 


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1 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.—The term ‘‘car4 bon monoxide alarm’’ means a device or system 

5 that— 

6 (A) detects carbon monoxide; and 

7 (B) is intended to alarm at carbon mon8 oxide concentrations below those that could cause 

9 a loss of ability to react to the dangers of carbon 

10 monoxide exposure. 

11 (2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

12 means the Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

13 (3) COMPLIANT CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.—The 

14 term ‘‘compliant carbon monoxide alarm’’ means a 

15 carbon monoxide alarm that complies with the most 

16 current version of— 

17 (A) the Standard for Single and Multiple 

18 Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms of the Amer19 ican National Standards Institute and UL 

20 (ANSI/UL 2034) or successor standard; and 

21 (B) the Standard for Gas and Vapor Detec22 tors and Sensors of the American National 

23 Standards Institute and UL (ANSI/UL 2075) or 

24 successor standard. 

25 (4) DWELLING UNIT.—The term ‘‘dwelling unit’’ 

26 means a room or suite of rooms used for human habiVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:06 Dec 14, 2015 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S1250.RS S1250

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1 tation, and includes a single family residence as well 

2 as each living unit of a multiple family residence (in3 cluding apartment buildings) and each living unit in 

4 a mixed use building. 

5 (5) FIRE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.—The 

6 term ‘‘fire code enforcement officials’’ means officials 

7 of the fire safety code enforcement agency of a State 

8 or local government or tribal organization. 

9 (6) NFPA 720.—The term ‘‘NFPA 720’’ 

10 means— 

11 (A) the Standard for the Installation of 

12 Carbon Monoxide Detection and Warning 

13 Equipment issued by the National Fire Protec14 tion Association in 2012; and 

15 (B) any amended or similar successor 

16 standard pertaining to the proper installation of 

17 carbon monoxide alarms in dwelling units. 

18 (7) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the meaning 

19 given such term in section 3 of the Consumer Product 

20 Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2052) and includes the North21 ern Mariana Islands and any political subdivision of 

22 a State. 

23 (8) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘tribal 

24 organization’’ has the meaning given such term in 


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1 section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu2 cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 

3 SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CARBON MONOXIDE POI4 SONING PREVENTION. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of appro6 priations authorized under subsection (f), the Commission 

7 shall establish a grant program to provide assistance to eli8 gible States and tribal organizations to carry out the carbon 

9 monoxide poisoning prevention activities described in sub10 section (e). 

11 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—For purposes of this section, an eli12 gible State or tribal organization is any State or tribal or13 ganization that— 

14 (1) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Com15 mission that the State or tribal organization has 

16 adopted a statute or a rule, regulation, or similar 

17 measure with the force and effect of law, requiring 

18 compliant carbon monoxide alarms to be installed in 

19 dwelling units in accordance with NFPA 720; and 

20 (2) submits an application to the Commission at 

21 such time, in such form, and containing such addi22 tional information as the Commission may require, 

23 which application may be filed on behalf of the State 

24 or tribal organization by the fire code enforcement of25 ficials for such State or tribal organization. 


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1 (c) GRANT AMOUNT.—The Commission shall deter2 mine the amount of the grants awarded under this section. 

3 (d) SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.—In selecting 

4 eligible States and tribal organizations for the award of 

5 grants under this section, the Commission shall give favor6 able consideration to an eligible State or tribal organization 

7 that— 

8 (1) requires the installation of compliant carbon 

9 monoxide alarms in new or existing educational fa10 cilities, childcare facilities, health care facilities, adult 

11 dependent care facilities, government buildings, res12 taurants, theaters, lodging establishments, or dwelling 

13 units— 

14 (A) within which a fuel-burning appliance 

15 is installed, including a furnace, boiler, water 

16 heater, fireplace, or any other apparatus, appli17 ance, or device that burns fuel; or 

18 (B) which has an attached garage; and 

19 (2) has developed a strategy to protect vulnerable 

20 populations such as children, the elderly, or low-in21 come households. 

22 (e) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible State or tribal or24 ganization receiving a grant under this section may 

25 use such grant— 


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1 (A) to purchase and install compliant car2 bon monoxide alarms in the dwelling units of 

3 low-income families or elderly persons, facilities 

4 that commonly serve children or the elderly, in5 cluding childcare facilities, public schools, and 

6 senior centers, or student dwelling units owned 

7 by public universities; 

8 (B) to train State, tribal organization, or 

9 local fire code enforcement officials in the proper 

10 enforcement of State, tribal, or local laws con11 cerning compliant carbon monoxide alarms and 

12 the installation of such alarms in accordance 

13 with NFPA 720; 

14 (C) for the development and dissemination 

15 of training materials, instructors, and any other 

16 costs related to the training sessions authorized 

17 by this subsection; or 

18 (D) to educate the public about the risk as19 sociated with carbon monoxide as a poison and 

20 the importance of proper carbon monoxide alarm 

21 use. 

22 (2) LIMITATIONS.— 

23 (A) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more 

24 than 5 percent of any grant amount received 

25 under this section may be used to cover adminisVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:06 Dec 14, 2015 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S1250.RS S1250

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1 trative costs not directly related to training de2 scribed in paragraph (1)(B). 

3 (B) PUBLIC OUTREACH.—Not more than 25 

4 percent of any grant amount received under this 

5 section may be used to cover costs of activities 

6 described in paragraph (1)(D). 

7 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

9 there is authorized to be appropriated to the Commis10 sion, for each of the fiscal years 2015 through 2019, 

11 $2,000,000, which shall remain available until ex12 pended to carry out this Act. 

13 (2) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EX14 PENSES.—Not more than 10 percent of the amounts 

15 appropriated or otherwise made available to carry 

16 out this section may be used for administrative ex17 penses. 

18 (3) RETENTION OF AMOUNTS.—Any amounts ap19 propriated pursuant to this subsection that remain 

20 unexpended and unobligated on September 30, 2019, 

21 shall be retained by the Commission and credited to 

22 the appropriations account that funds the enforcement 

23 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2051). 

24 (g) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the last day 

25 of each fiscal year for which grants are awarded under this 


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1 section, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report 

2 that evaluates the implementation of the grant program re3 quired by this section. 


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Calendar No. 323 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1250 

[Report No. 114–179] 

A BILL 

To encourage States to require the installation of 

and for other purposes. residential carbon monoxide detectors in homes, 

DECEMBER 14, 2015 

Reported with an amendment 


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