I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4326 
To direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to require residential 
carbon monoxide detectors to meet the applicable ANSI/UL standard 
by treating that standard as a consumer product safety rule, to encourage 
States to require the installation of such detectors in homes, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 29, 2012 
Mr. MATHESON (for himself, Mr. BASS of New Hampshire, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. 
BUTTERFIELD, Mr. COBLE, and Mrs. NAPOLITANO) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to re-
quire residential carbon monoxide detectors to meet the 
applicable ANSI/UL standard by treating that standard 
as a consumer product safety rule, to encourage States 
to require the installation of such detectors in homes, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Residential Carbon 
Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act’’. 
SEC. 2. 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 car-
bon monoxide poisoning, a serious health condition 
that could result in death. 
(2) Unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning 
from motor vehicles and the abnormal operation of 
fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, water 
heaters, portable generators, and stoves, in residen-
tial homes and other dwelling units kills more than 
400 people each year and sends more than 20,000 
to hospital emergency rooms for treatment. 
(3) Research shows that purchasing and install-
ing carbon monoxide alarms close to the sleeping 
areas in residential homes and other dwelling units 
can help avoid fatalities. 
(4) Congress should promote the purchase and 
installation of carbon monoxide alarms in residential 
homes and dwelling units nationwide in order to pro-
mote the health and public safety of citizens 
throughout the Nation. 
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SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROVED
CARBON
MONOXIDE
ALARM.— 
The term ‘‘approved carbon monoxide alarm’’ means 
a carbon monoxide alarm that complies with the 
standards published, incorporated, or amended by 
the Commission with respect to such alarms under 
this Act. 
(2) CARBON
MONOXIDE
ALARM.—The term 
‘‘carbon monoxide alarm’’ means a device that— 
(A) detects carbon monoxide; and 
(B) is intended to alarm at carbon mon-
oxide concentrations below those that could 
cause a loss of ability to react to the dangers 
of carbon monoxide exposure. 
(3) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Consumer Product Safety Commission. 
(4) DWELLING
UNIT.—The term ‘‘dwelling 
unit’’ means a room or suite of rooms used for 
human habitation, and includes a single family resi-
dence as well as each living unit of a multiple family 
residence (including apartment buildings) and each 
living unit in a mixed use building. 
(5) FIRE
CODE
ENFORCEMENT
OFFICIALS.— 
The term ‘‘fire code enforcement officials’’ means of-
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ficials of the fire safety code enforcement agency of 
a State or local government. 
(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 Protec-
tion Association in 2012; and 
(B) any amended or similar successor 
standard pertaining to the proper installation of 
carbon monoxide alarms in dwelling units. 
SEC. 4. ADOPTION OF CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY 
RULES. 
(a) MANDATORY STANDARDS.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
publish in the Federal Register as mandatory consumer 
product safety standards the American National Standard 
for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms 
(ANSI/UL 2034) and the American National Standard for 
Gas and Vapor Detectors and Sensors (ANSI/UL 2075). 
Such mandatory consumer product safety standards shall 
take effect 180 days after they are published. 
(b) REVISION OF STANDARDS.—Beginning 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, if either stand-
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ard described in subsection (a) is revised through the ap-
plicable consensus standards development process, Under-
writers Laboratories shall notify the Commission of the 
revision and the revision shall be incorporated in the con-
sumer product safety rule unless, not later than 60 days 
after such notice, the Commission determines that such 
revision does not carry out the purposes of this Act and 
publishes the basis for such a determination in the Federal 
Register. 
(c) RULEMAKING.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of this Act, the Commission, at any time subsequent 
to publication of the consumer product safety standards 
required by subsection (a), may initiate a rulemaking in 
accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, 
to amend either standard to include any provision that the 
Commission determines is reasonably necessary to ensure 
the safe and effective operation of carbon monoxide 
alarms. 
(d) TREATMENT OF STANDARDS FOR PURPOSES OF 
ENFORCEMENT.—For purposes of enforcement under the 
Consumer Product Safety Act, the standards published by 
the Commission pursuant to subsection (a), including any 
revision to such standards pursuant to subsection (b) or 
(c), shall be consumer product safety rules as defined in 
section 3(a)(6) of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2052(a)(6)). 
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SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CARBON MONOXIDE POI-
SONING PREVENTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations authorized under subsection (f), the Commis-
sion shall establish a grant program to provide assistance 
to eligible States and local governments to carry out the 
carbon monoxide poisoning prevention activities described 
in subsection (d). 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a grant under 
the program, a State or local government shall— 
(1) demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Com-
mission that a State or local government has adopt-
ed a statute, or a State or local government agency 
has adopted a rule, regulation, or similar measure 
with the force and effect of law, requiring approved 
carbon monoxide alarms to be installed in dwelling 
units in accordance with NFPA 720; and 
(2) submit an application to the Commission at 
such time, in such form, and containing such addi-
tional information as the Commission may require, 
which application may be filed on behalf of any 
qualified State or local government by the fire code 
enforcement officials for such State or local govern-
ment. 
(c) GRANT AMOUNT; PRIORITY.—The Commission 
shall determine the amount of the grants awarded under 
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this section, and shall give priority to applications from 
States or local governments that— 
(1) require approved carbon monoxide alarms to 
be installed in each existing dwelling unit— 
(A) within which a fuel-burning appliance 
is installed, including a furnace, boiler, water 
heater, fireplace, or any other apparatus, appli-
ance, or device that burns fuel; or 
(B) which has an attached garage; 
(2) propose to serve vulnerable populations such 
as children, the elderly, or low-income households; 
and 
(3) demonstrate greater than average losses of 
life from carbon monoxide poisoning in the home. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—A State receiving a grant under 
this section may use grant funds— 
(1) to purchase and install approved carbon 
monoxide alarms in the dwelling units of low-income 
families or elderly persons, facilities that commonly 
serve children or the elderly, including childcare fa-
cilities, public schools, and senior centers, or student 
dwelling units owned by public universities; 
(2) to train State or local fire code enforcement 
officials in the proper enforcement of State or local 
laws concerning approved carbon monoxide alarms 
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