College Fire Prevention Act (Introduced in the Senate)

107th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 399

To provide for fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in public and private college and university housing and dormitories, including fraternity and sorority housing and dormitories.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 27, 2001

Mr. EDWARDS (for himself and Mr. DODD) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `College Fire Prevention Act'.

SEC 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) On Wednesday, January 19, 2000, a fire occurred at a Seton Hall

University dormitory. Three male freshmen, all 18 years of age, died.

Fifty-four students, 2 South Orange firefighters, and 2 South Orange

police officers were injured. The dormitory was a 6-story, 350-room

structure built in 1952, that housed approximately 600 students. It was

equipped with smoke alarms but no fire sprinkler system.

(2) On Mother's Day 1996 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a fire in the

Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity House killed 5 college juniors and injured

3. The 3-story plus basement fraternity house was 70 years old. The

National Fire Protection Association identified several factors that

contributed to the tragic fire, including the lack of fire sprinkler

protection.

(3) It is estimated that between 1980 and 1998, an average of 1,800

fires at dormitories, fraternities, and sororities, involving 1 death, 70

injuries, and $8,000,000 in property damage were reported to public

fire departments.

(4) Within dormitories, fraternities, and sororities the number 1 cause of

fires is arson or suspected arson. The second leading cause of college

building fires is cooking, while the third leading cause is smoking.

(5) The National Fire Protection Association has no record of a fire

killing more than 2 people in a completely fire sprinklered public

assembly, educational, institutional, or residential building where the

sprinkler system was operating properly.

(6) New dormitories are generally required to have advanced safety

systems such as fire sprinklers. But such requirements are rarely

imposed retroactively on existing buildings.

(7) In 1998, 93 percent of the campus building fires reported to fire

departments occurred in buildings where there were smoke alarms

present. However, only 34 percent had fire sprinklers present.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006.

SEC. 4. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY- The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the United States Fire Administration, is authorized to award grants to States, private or public colleges or universities, fraternities, and sororities to assist them in providing fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, for their student housing and dormitories.

(b) MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENT- The Secretary of Education may not award a grant under this section unless the entity receiving the grant provides, from State, local, or private sources, matching funds in an amount equal to not less than one-half of the cost of the activities for which assistance is sought.

SEC. 5. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

(a) APPLICATION- Each entity desiring a grant under this Act shall submit to the Secretary of Education an application at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require.

(b) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this Act, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants that demonstrate in the application submitted under subsection (a) the inability to fund the sprinkler system, or other fire suppression or prevention technology, from sources other than funds provided under this Act.

(c) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES- An entity that receives a grant under this Act shall not use more than 4 percent of the grant funds for administrative expenses.

SEC. 6. DATA AND REPORT.

The Comptroller General shall--

(1) gather data on the number of college and university housing facilities

and dormitories that have and do not have fire sprinkler systems and

other fire suppression or prevention technologies; and

(2) report such data to Congress.

SEC. 7. ADMISSIBILITY.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any application for assistance under this Act, any negative determination on the part of the Secretary of Education with respect to such application, or any statement of reasons for the determination, shall not be admissible as evidence in any proceeding of any court, agency, board, or other entity.

Status: On 2/27/01 this legislation was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Updated 03/02/01