| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to carbon monoxide detectors; amending s. |
| 3 | 509.211, F.S.; requiring that certain public lodging |
| 4 | establishments be equipped with carbon monoxide sensor |
| 5 | devices; specifying approved types of devices; providing |
| 6 | requirements for the installation of such devices; |
| 7 | creating s. 553.885, F.S.; requiring that certain |
| 8 | buildings constructed on or after a specified date be |
| 9 | equipped with carbon monoxide alarms; providing |
| 10 | requirements for the installation of such devices; |
| 11 | requiring the Florida Building Commission to adopt rules; |
| 12 | providing definitions; providing an effective date. |
| 13 |
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| 14 | WHEREAS, the general purpose and intent of this act is to |
| 15 | provide proper protection regulations in the best interest of |
| 16 | the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this state, |
| 17 | and |
| 18 | WHEREAS, the specific intent and purpose of this act is to |
| 19 | create safety regulations requiring carbon monoxide detectors |
| 20 | after the occurrence of several incidents where people have died |
| 21 | as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning under circumstances |
| 22 | that were preventable, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, this act honors the memory of Janelle Bertot, a |
| 24 | talented and community-oriented 19-year-old college student and |
| 25 | daughter of a former Hialeah police officer, who died on |
| 26 | November 14, 2004, from carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of |
| 27 | carbon monoxide that leaked from a friend's motor vehicle, and |
| 28 | WHEREAS, through the efforts of Janelle's parents and other |
| 29 | dedicated volunteers, Janelle's Wishing Well, a charitable |
| 30 | foundation, has been established to provide scholarships to |
| 31 | young people interested in health care and to raise public |
| 32 | awareness and create community outreach programs on the dangers |
| 33 | of carbon monoxide poisoning, and |
| 34 | WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes and supports the |
| 35 | education and prevention efforts of Janelle's Wishing Well to |
| 36 | advise young people of the lethal danger of carbon monoxide |
| 37 | poisoning, and |
| 38 | WHEREAS, this act also honors the memory of Tom Lueders, an |
| 39 | outgoing 26-year-old from Washington, D.C., who was just |
| 40 | starting out in a promising career and had aspirations of |
| 41 | attending graduate school, and who, on December 27, 2006, died |
| 42 | from carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of carbon monoxide |
| 43 | that leaked from a malfunctioning boiler that was adjacent to |
| 44 | his room at a Key West hotel, and whose death has helped provide |
| 45 | the impetus for legislation that will prevent other needless |
| 46 | deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 47 |
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| 48 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 49 |
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| 50 | Section 1. Subsection (5) is added to section 509.211, |
| 51 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 52 | 509.211 Safety regulations.-- |
| 53 | (5) Every enclosed space or room that contains a boiler |
| 54 | regulated under chapter 554 that is fired by the direct |
| 55 | application of energy from the combustion of fuels and that is |
| 56 | located in any portion of a public lodging establishment that |
| 57 | also contains sleeping rooms shall be equipped with one or more |
| 58 | carbon monoxide sensor devices that bear the label of a |
| 59 | nationally recognized testing laboratory and have been tested |
| 60 | and listed as complying with the most recent Underwriters |
| 61 | Laboratories, Inc., Standard 2034, or its equivalent, unless it |
| 62 | is determined that carbon monoxide hazards have otherwise been |
| 63 | adequately mitigated as determined by the division. Such devices |
| 64 | shall be integrated with the public lodging establishment's fire |
| 65 | detection system. Any such installation or determination shall |
| 66 | be made in accordance with rules adopted by the division. |
| 67 | Section 2. Section 553.885, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 68 | to read: |
| 69 | 553.885 Carbon monoxide alarm required.-- |
| 70 | (1) Every building for which a building permit is issued |
| 71 | for new construction on or after July 1, 2008, and having a |
| 72 | fossil-fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, or an |
| 73 | attached garage shall have an approved operational carbon |
| 74 | monoxide alarm installed within 10 feet of each room used for |
| 75 | sleeping purposes. |
| 76 | (2) The Florida Building Commission shall adopt rules to |
| 77 | administer this section and shall incorporate such requirements |
| 78 | into its next revision of the Florida Building Code. |
| 79 | (3) As used in this section, the term: |
| 80 | (a) "Carbon monoxide alarm" means a device that is meant |
| 81 | for the purpose of detecting carbon monoxide, that produces a |
| 82 | distinct audible alarm, and that meets the requirements of and |
| 83 | is approved by the Florida Building Commission. |
| 84 | (b) "Fossil fuel" means coal, kerosene, oil, fuel gases, |
| 85 | or other petroleum or hydrocarbon product that emits carbon |
| 86 | monoxide as a by-product of combustion. |
| 87 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007. |