Fly Safe and Healthy Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-316
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2021-02-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Aviation and airports
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Transportation
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health information and medical records
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Public-private cooperation
Right of privacy
Transportation costs
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-12
text: 

Fly Safe and Healthy Act of 2021

 
This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a 120-day pilot program to conduct temperature checks for domestic and international passengers, individuals accompanying those passengers, crew members, and other individuals who pass through airports and airport security screening locations.
 
In developing the pilot program, the TSA must address certain policies and procedures, including (1) accommodating individuals with disabilities or observing certain religious practices, and (2) exempting individuals who may have a fever unrelated to COVID-19 (i.e. coronavirus disease 2019).
 
The pilot program must ensure airlines allow passengers who are prohibited from flying due to a fever or a secondary medical screening to reschedule or cancel a flight at no cost.
 
The TSA must, within 90 days after the completion of the pilot program, create a policy for deploying a temperature check program at airports and airport security screening locations through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
 
The Department of Transportation must revise its regulations to require the inclusion of certain information about traveling in the passenger notification system during the COVID-19 public health emergency, including (1) a message discouraging any individual who has a fever from traveling in air transportation, and (2) a notification that each passenger and any individual accompanying a passenger into the sterile area of the airport will undergo a temperature check if the pilot program established under this bill is in effect in that airport.

action_date: 2021-12-17
text: 

Fly Safe and Healthy Act of 2021

 
This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a 180-day pilot program to conduct temperature checks for domestic and international passengers, individuals accompanying those passengers, crew members, and other individuals who pass through airport security screening locations at which screening is conducted by the TSA.
 
In developing the pilot program, the TSA must address certain policies and procedures, including (1) types and costs of technology that may be used to conduct temperature checks, (2) mechanisms to protect the privacy and medical information of individuals subjected to temperature checks, and (3) exempting individuals who may have a fever unrelated to COVID-19.
 
The pilot program must ensure airlines allow passengers who are prohibited from flying due to a fever or a secondary medical screening to reschedule, request a voucher, or cancel a flight at no cost.
 
The TSA must design, test, and implement a passenger notification system for alerting passengers of temperature checks under the pilot program that includes (1) a message discouraging any individual who has a fever from traveling in air transportation; and (2) a notification that each passenger and any individual accompanying a passenger into the sterile area of the airport will undergo a temperature check, subject to a secondary medical screening, if the pilot program established under this bill is in effect in that airport.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-17
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 207.
action_date: 2021-12-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-12-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-05-12
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2021-02-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-02-12
text: Introduced in Senate