PRINTER'S NO. 2122
No. 1677 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY PAYNE, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BELFANTI, CALTAGIRONE,
CAWLEY, CLYMER, CORNELL, CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, FABRIZIO,
FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, HARRIS, HENNESSEY,
JAMES, LEDERER, McGEEHAN, REICHLEY, ROEBUCK, SCHRODER,
SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, E. Z. TAYLOR AND YOUNGBLOOD, JUNE 8, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, JUNE 8, 2005
AN ACT
1 Requiring dwellings, dwelling units, rooming units and dormitory
2 units to be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms; requiring
3 owners to be responsible for supplying and installing alarms;
4 requiring tenants to test and provide general maintenance for
5 alarms; and providing for penalties.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Short title.
9 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Carbon
10 Monoxide Alarm Act.
11 Section 2. Dwellings.
12 Every newly constructed single-family dwelling, dwelling unit
13 and rooming unit and every college or university dormitory unit
14 shall be equipped with at least one approved carbon monoxide
15 alarm in operating condition on each level of the newly
16 constructed single-family dwelling, dwelling unit and rooming
17 unit and every college or university dormitory unit.
18 Section 3. Combination of alarms and other detection devices.
1 A unit which combines a carbon monoxide alarm and other
2 detection devices may be used to comply with section 2 (relating
3 to dwellings) if:
4 (1) The unit complies with the provisions of the act of
5 April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative
6 Code of 1929, and all applicable regulations of the
7 Department of Environmental Protection.
8 (2) The unit contains voice, light or audible signal
9 features that clearly differentiate among the various
10 hazards.
11 Section 4. Responsibility of owner.
12 The owner of a newly constructed single-family dwelling,
13 dwelling unit and rooming unit and every college or university
14 dormitory unit shall be responsible to comply with section 2
15 (relating to dwellings).
16 Section 5. Responsibility of dwellers.
17 The person living in a newly constructed single-family
18 dwelling, dwelling unit and rooming unit and every college or
19 university dormitory unit shall be responsible for:
20 (1) Testing and general maintenance of alarms in the
21 newly constructed single-family dwelling, dwelling unit and
22 rooming unit and every college or university dormitory unit.
23 (2) Notifying in writing the owner or agent of the owner
24 of the newly constructed single-family dwelling, dwelling
25 unit and rooming unit and every college or university
26 dormitory unit of any problems with the alarms that the
27 person living in the dwelling is unable to correct.
28 Section 6. Penalties.
29 (a) Failure to install or maintain alarm.--Failure to
30 install or maintain in operating condition a carbon monoxide
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1 alarm as required under this act is a misdemeanor of the third
2 degree.
3 (b) Tampering with, removing, destroying, disconnecting or
4 removing batteries.--A first offense of tampering with,
5 removing, destroying, disconnecting or removing batteries from
6 an installed carbon monoxide alarm, except during the
7 inspection, maintenance or replacement of the alarm, is a
8 misdemeanor of the second degree. A second or subsequent offense
9 is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
10 Section 7. Installation.
11 Carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed:
12 (1) Before newly constructed single-family dwellings,
13 dwelling units and rooming units are occupied.
14 (2) In every college or university dormitory unit,
15 within six months of the effective date of this act.
16 Section 8. Effective date.
17 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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