I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1618 

To encourage States to require the installation of residential carbon monoxide 

detectors in homes, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 7, 2019 

Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire (for herself and Mr. CARTER of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

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

5 Burt Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 

6 2019’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

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


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

2 produced by burning any fuel. Exposure to un3 healthy levels of carbon monoxide can lead to carbon 

4 monoxide poisoning, a serious health condition that 

5 could result in death. 

6 (2) Unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning 

7 from motor vehicles and the abnormal operation of 

8 fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, water 

9 heaters, portable generators, and stoves, kills more 

10 than 400 people each year and sends more than 

11 15,000 to hospital emergency rooms for treatment. 

12 (3) Research shows that purchasing and install13 ing carbon monoxide alarms close to the sleeping 

14 areas in residential homes and other dwelling units 

15 can help avoid fatalities. 

16 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con17 gress that Congress should promote the purchase and in18 stallation of carbon monoxide alarms in residential homes 

19 and dwelling units nationwide in order to promote the 

20 health and public safety of citizens throughout the United 

21 States. 

22 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

23 In this Act: 


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1 (1) CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.—The term 

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

3 that— 

4 (A) detects carbon monoxide; and 

5 (B) is intended to alarm at carbon mon6 oxide concentrations below those that could 

7 cause a loss of ability to react to the dangers 

8 of carbon monoxide exposure. 

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

10 means the Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

11 (3) COMPLIANT CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.— 

12 The term ‘‘compliant carbon monoxide alarm’’ 

13 means a carbon monoxide alarm that complies with 

14 the most current version of— 

15 (A) the American National Standard for 

16 Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide 

17 Alarms (ANSI/UL 2034); or 

18 (B) the American National Standard for 

19 Gas and Vapor Detectors and Sensors (ANSI/ 

20 UL 2075). 

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

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

23 human habitation, and includes a single family resi24 dence as well as each living unit of a multiple family 


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1 residence (including apartment buildings) and each 

2 living unit in a mixed use building. 

3 (5) FIRE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.— 

4 The term ‘‘fire code enforcement officials’’ means of5 ficials of the fire safety code enforcement agency of 

6 a State or local government. 

7 (6) NFPA 72.—The term ‘‘NFPA 72’’ 

8 means— 

9 (A) the National Fire Alarm and Signaling 

10 Code issued in 2019 by the National Fire Pro11 tection Association; and 

12 (B) any amended or similar successor 

13 standard pertaining to the proper installation of 

14 carbon monoxide alarms in dwelling units. 

15 (7) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean16 ing given such term in section 3 of the Consumer 

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

18 the Northern Mariana Islands and any political sub19 division of a State. 

20 SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CARBON MONOXIDE POI21 SONING PREVENTION. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap23 propriations authorized under subsection (f), the Commis24 sion shall establish a grant program to provide assistance 


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1 to eligible States to carry out the carbon monoxide poi2 soning prevention activities described in subsection (e). 

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

4 eligible State is any State that— 

5 (1) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the 

6 Commission that the State has adopted a statute or 

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

8 and effect of law, requiring compliant carbon mon9 oxide alarms to be installed in dwelling units in ac10 cordance with NFPA 72; and 

11 (2) submits an application to the Commission 

12 at such time, in such form, and containing such ad13 ditional information as the Commission may require, 

14 which application may be filed on behalf of the State 

15 by the fire code enforcement officials for such State. 

16 (c) GRANT AMOUNT.—The Commission shall deter17 mine the amount of the grants awarded under this section. 

18 (d) SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.—In select19 ing eligible States for the award of grants under this sec20 tion, the Commission shall give favorable consideration to 

21 an eligible State that— 

22 (1) requires the installation of compliant carbon 

23 monoxide alarms in new or existing educational fa24 cilities, childcare facilities, health care facilities, 

25 adult dependent care facilities, government buildVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:09 Mar 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1618.IH H1618

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1 ings, restaurants, theaters, lodging establishments, 

2 or dwelling units— 

3 (A) within which a fuel-burning appliance 

4 is installed, including a furnace, boiler, water 

5 heater, fireplace, or any other apparatus, appli6 ance, or device that burns fuel; or 

7 (B) which has an attached garage; and 

8 (2) has developed a strategy to protect vulner9 able populations such as children, the elderly, or 

10 low-income households. 

11 (e) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.— 

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

13 grant under this section may use such grant— 

14 (A) to purchase and install compliant car15 bon monoxide alarms in the dwelling units of 

16 low-income families or elderly persons, facilities 

17 that commonly serve children or the elderly, in18 cluding childcare facilities, public schools, and 

19 senior centers, or student dwelling units owned 

20 by public universities; 

21 (B) to train State or local fire code en22 forcement officials in the proper enforcement of 

23 State or local laws concerning compliant carbon 

24 monoxide alarms and the installation of such 

25 alarms in accordance with NFPA 72; 


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1 (C) for the development and dissemination 

2 of training materials, instructors, and any other 

3 costs related to the training sessions authorized 

4 by this subsection; and 

5 (D) to educate the public about the risk 

6 associated with carbon monoxide as a poison 

7 and the importance of proper carbon monoxide 

8 alarm use. 

9 (2) LIMITATIONS.— 

10 (A) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more 

11 than 10 percent of any grant amount received 

12 under this section may be used to cover admin13 istrative costs not directly related to training 

14 described in paragraph (1)(B). 

15 (B) PUBLIC OUTREACH.—Not more than 

16 25 percent of any grant amount received under 

17 this section may be used to cover costs of activi18 ties described in paragraph (1)(D). 

19 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

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

21 there is authorized to be appropriated to the Com22 mission, for each of the fiscal years 2020 through 

23 2024, $2,000,000, which shall remain available until 

24 expended to carry out this Act. 


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1 (2) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EX2 PENSES.—Not more than 10 percent of the amounts 

3 appropriated or otherwise made available to carry 

4 out this section may be used for administrative ex5 penses. 

6 (3) RETENTION OF AMOUNTS.—Any amounts 

7 appropriated pursuant to this subsection that re8 main unexpended and unobligated on September 30, 

9 2024, shall be retained by the Commission and cred10 ited to the appropriations account that funds the en11 forcement of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 

12 U.S.C. 2051). 

13 (4) OFFSET.—There is authorized to be appro14 priated to the Government Publishing Office for 

15 each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024 the amount 

16 that is $2,000,000 less than the amount appro17 priated for such Office for fiscal year 2017. 

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. 

Æ 


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