Safe Stay Act Mandates Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Hotels: Compliance Required Within One Year

The newly introduced Safe Stay Act is straightforward: it mandates that hotels, motels, and similar places of public accommodation involved in interstate commerce must install compliant carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in every sleeping or living unit. This isn’t a suggestion; it’s a required update to the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974. The goal is simple: stop silent CO poisoning deaths in temporary lodging.

Checking In: The New Safety Baseline

This bill updates federal safety guidelines by swapping out an older rule (Standard 74) and replacing it with Standard 72, which references the latest safety codes from the International Fire Code (IFC) or the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). This means that any CO alarm installed must meet the most current industry standards for detection and placement. For the average traveler, this is a significant safety upgrade. If you’ve ever worried about staying somewhere with a gas heater or an attached garage, this provision (SEC. 2) sets a clear, modern safety floor that businesses must meet.

The Cost of Compliance

For hotel owners and operators, this means a mandatory capital expense. They must purchase and install compliant CO alarms in every guest room, which is a new cost of doing business. While the expense is necessary for safety, it’s an immediate financial burden, especially for smaller businesses. The good news for states and cities is that the Act explicitly allows local authorities to enforce CO alarm standards that are higher than the new federal minimum. So, if your city already requires more robust protection, those standards remain in place, ensuring safety isn't rolled back.

The FTC Gets Involved: What You Need to Know at Check-In

Beyond installing the alarms, the Act creates a new administrative requirement for hotels (SEC. 3). When you check into a place of public accommodation, the hotel must provide you with a written notice confirming that the establishment complies with the new CO alarm requirement. Think of it like the small print you get when you rent a car, but this time, it’s about safety.

This is where the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) steps in. Failure to provide this mandatory notice to guests is treated as an unfair or deceptive business practice under the Federal Trade Commission Act. The FTC now has the power to investigate and take action against hotels that skip this step. This means that if a hotel tries to cut corners on the disclosure, they face the same penalties as false advertisers. This new enforcement mechanism gives the requirement real teeth, ensuring that the safety measures aren't just installed, but actively communicated to the people they protect.

The Timeline and Implementation

The entire requirement—installation and the mandatory guest notification—kicks in one year after the Act becomes law. This gives businesses a clear runway to budget, purchase, and install the necessary equipment. In the background, FEMA is tasked with ensuring state lists of fire prevention standards are updated to reflect these new CO alarm requirements. Overall, the Safe Stay Act is a clear win for consumer safety, standardizing a critical life-saving measure across the hospitality industry and ensuring guests are informed about the protections in place.