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HR 2882 IH

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to promote professional retrofit installation of fire alarm detection systems and other fire detection and prevention technologies in nursing homes, hospice facilities, and other appropriate facilities.

June 27, 2007

Mr. ARCURI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to promote professional retrofit installation of fire alarm detection systems and other fire detection and prevention technologies in nursing homes, hospice facilities, and other appropriate facilities.

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 `Long-Term Care Life Safety Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. RETROFIT ASSISTANCE GRANTS FOR FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTION.

(a) Authority- Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a program to award grants to nursing homes, hospice facilities, assisted living facilities, residential care program facilities, board and care facilities (as defined in section 1903(q)(4)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(q)(4)(B)), and any other facilities that are licensed or certified by the State and are determined by the Secretary to be appropriate for a grant under this section, for the purpose of retrofitting such homes and facilities with any professionally installed fire alarm detection system or other fire detection and prevention technology, as defined in subsection (c)(1).

(b) Priority- In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants that demonstrate a need or hardship. In determining hardship, the Secretary may take into account factors such as the age and condition of the facilities of the applicant, the need for facility beds in the community involved, and requirements imposed on the applicant to meet fire safety regulations applicable under Medicare, Medicaid, other Federal programs, or State or local licensing or building code standards.

(c) Definitions- In this Act:

(1) The term `fire alarm detection system or other fire detection and prevention technology' means a system, a portion of a system, or a combination of systems and components for fire protection, such as integrated systems of manual devices and automatic sensors that, when activated, cause the systems to warn building occupants and emergency forces; smoke detectors; automatic fire sprinkler systems; specialized suppression systems and other active fire protection systems or components installed in accordance with codes and standards such as those developed by the National Fire Protection Association in the 2006 Life Safety Code.

(2) The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

(d) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $40,000,000 for each fiscal year 2008 through 2012.