Description:
H.R. 1690 would require owners of rental units that receive assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors. The bill also would authorize the appropriation of $100 million in each year over the 2020-2022 period for grants to property owners to purchase and install detectors. Based on historical spending patterns for similar programs, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $300 million over the 2020-2024 period, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts. The bill also would require the Secretary of HUD to measure and report annually to the Congress about the number of assisted units without detectors, detectors installed, and fatalities caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. Using information from HUD about the cost of collecting and reporting similar data, CBO estimates implementing the provision would cost less than $500,000 over the 2020-2024 period. The costs of the legislation (detailed in Table 1) fall within budget function 600 (income security). H.R. 1690 would preempt state and local laws governing the installation and location of carbon monoxide devices in rental housing units that receive federal assistance. The preemption would be a mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). Although the bill would limit the application of state and local laws, it would impose no duty on state or local governments that would result in additional spending. The bill contains no private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA.
