IB 

Union Calendar No. 165 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1618 

[Report No. 116–208, Part I] 

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 

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 

Additional sponsors: Mr. UPTON, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. RUSH, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SOTO, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. FITZPATRICK, and Ms. 

NORTON

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 

Reported from the Committee on Energy and Commerce with an amendment 

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

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 

Committee on House Administration discharged; committed to the Committee 

of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 7, 2019] 


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•HR 1618 RH

A BILL 

To encourage States to require the installation of residential 

carbon monoxide detectors in homes, and for other purposes. 


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•HR 1618 RH

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 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

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

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

9 produced by burning any fuel. Exposure to unhealthy 

10 levels of carbon monoxide can lead to carbon mon11 oxide poisoning, a serious health condition that could 

12 result in death. 

13 (2) Unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning 

14 from motor vehicles and the abnormal operation of 

15 fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, water heat16 ers, portable generators, and stoves, kills more than 

17 400 people each year and sends more than 15,000 to 

18 hospital emergency rooms for treatment. 

19 (3) Research shows that purchasing and install20 ing carbon monoxide alarms close to the sleeping 

21 areas in residential homes and other dwelling units 

22 can help avoid fatalities. 

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

24 that Congress should promote the purchase and installation 

25 of carbon monoxide alarms in residential homes and dwellVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:17 Sep 16, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H1618.RH H1618

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1 ing units nationwide in order to promote the health and 

2 public safety of citizens throughout the United States. 

3 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

4 In this Act: 

5 (1) CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.—The term ‘‘car6 bon 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 cause 

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

12 monoxide exposure. 

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

14 means the Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

15 (3) COMPLIANT CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.—The 

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

17 carbon monoxide alarm that complies with the most 

18 current version of— 

19 (A) the American National Standard for 

20 Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide 

21 Alarms (ANSI/UL 2034); or 

22 (B) the American National Standard for 

23 Gas and Vapor Detectors and Sensors (ANSI/UL 

24 2075). 


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

2 means a room or suite of rooms used for human habi3 tation, and includes a single family residence as well 

4 as each living unit of a multiple family residence (in5 cluding apartment buildings) and each living unit in 

6 a mixed use building. 

7 (5) FIRE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.—The 

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

9 of the fire safety code enforcement agency of a State 

10 or local government. 

11 (6) NFPA 72.—The term ‘‘NFPA 72’’ means— 

12 (A) the National Fire Alarm and Signaling 

13 Code issued in 2019 by the National Fire Protec14 tion Association; 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. 


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

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of appro4 priations authorized under subsection (f), the Commission 

5 shall establish a grant program to provide assistance to eli6 gible States to carry out the carbon monoxide poisoning 

7 prevention activities described in subsection (e). 

8 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—For purposes of this section, an eli9 gible State is any State that— 

10 (1) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Com11 mission that the State has adopted a statute or a rule, 

12 regulation, or similar measure with the force and ef13 fect of law, requiring compliant carbon monoxide 

14 alarms to be installed in dwelling units in accordance 

15 with NFPA 72; and 

16 (2) submits an application to the Commission at 

17 such time, in such form, and containing such addi18 tional 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 selecting 

24 eligible States for the award of grants under this section, 

25 the Commission shall give favorable consideration to an eli26 gible 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, adult 

4 dependent care facilities, government buildings, res5 taurants, theaters, lodging establishments, or dwelling 

6 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 vulnerable 

13 populations such as children, the elderly, or low-in14 come 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 enforce2 ment officials in the proper enforcement of State 

3 or local laws concerning compliant carbon mon4 oxide alarms and the installation of such alarms 

5 in accordance with NFPA 72; 

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 as11 sociated with carbon monoxide as a poison and 

12 the importance of proper carbon monoxide alarm 

13 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 adminis18 trative costs not directly related to training de19 scribed in paragraph (1)(B). 

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

21 percent of any grant amount received under this 

22 section may be used to cover costs of activities 

23 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 Commis3 sion, for each of the fiscal years 2020 through 2024, 

4 $2,000,000, which shall remain available until ex5 pended 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 ap12 propriated pursuant to this subsection that remain 

13 unexpended and unobligated on September 30, 2024, 

14 shall be retained by the Commission and credited to 

15 the appropriations account that funds the enforcement 

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

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

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

19 section, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report 

20 that evaluates the implementation of the grant program re21 quired by this section. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 165 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1618 

[Report No. 116–208, Part I] 

A BILL 

To encourage States to require the installation of 

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

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 

Reported from the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

with an amendment 

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 

Committee on House Administration discharged; comState of the Union and ordered to be printed mitted to the Committee of the Whole House on the 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS