Safe Seats for All Act

Bill: 118-s-1866
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2023-06-07
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports

Transportation safety and security

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2023-06-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-06-07
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Safe Seats for All Act</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish minimum dimensions for seats on passenger aircraft (including dimensions for the size, width, length, and pitch of seats) to ensure the safety and health of passengers. </p> <p>Further, the bill prohibits air carriers and foreign air carriers from reducing the seat size, width, length, or pitch for passenger aircraft. (This includes the dimensions of seat shoulder width, elbow width, the edge of the seat base to the back of the seat in front, the edge of the seat base to the headrest of the seat in front, and foot clearance.) This moratorium remains in place until the effective date of FAA regulations establishing minimum seat dimensions.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1866 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 7, 2023 Mr. Blumenthal introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To establish minimum dimensions for seats on passenger aircraft, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safe Seats for All Act . 2. Passenger seat sizing (a) In general Chapter 423 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 42304 the following: 42305. Passenger seat sizing (a) Minimum dimensions of passenger seats Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall issue regulations to establish minimum dimensions for seats on passenger aircraft (including dimensions for the size, width, length, and pitch of seats), to ensure the safety and health of passengers, including with respect to emergency evacuations, the ability of passengers to execute the brace position, and passengers with deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. (b) Interim prohibition on seat reduction During the period beginning on the date of enactment of this section and ending on the effective date of the regulations issued under subsection (a), an air carrier or foreign air carrier (as such terms are defined in section 40102) may not reduce the size, width, length, or pitch of the seats on any passenger aircraft of such carrier (including with respect to the dimensions of seat shoulder width, elbow width, the edge of the seat base to back of the seat in front, the edge of the seat base to the headrest of seat in front, foot clearance, and foot clearance envelope). (c) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an air carrier or foreign air carrier from altering the seating configuration of an aircraft if such configuration does not reduce the number of passenger seats in the economy class of service. . (b) Clerical amendment The analysis for chapter 423 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 42304 the following: 42305. Passenger seat sizing. . (c) Repeal of 2018 minimum dimension provision Section 577 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 ( 49 U.S.C. 42301 note prec.) is repealed.