Bill > HR7168

This bill, the Seton Hall Fire Victims Remembrance Act of 2026, directs the Secretary of Education to establish standards for fire suppression systems in student housing at colleges and universities that receive federal education funding. Within two years of the bill's enactment, the Secretary, working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and other experts, must develop these standards, including a plan for their gradual implementation and the compliance levels required for institutions to be recognized as "Federally Recognized Fire-Safe Campuses." These standards will be reviewed and updated every ten years. Colleges and universities, referred to as "covered institutions," must assess their compliance with these standards annually, with the accuracy of these assessments verified by fire suppression system experts. Based on these assessments, the Secretary will designate institutions as either "Federally Recognized Fire-Safe Campuses" or "Not Federally Recognized Fire-Safe Campuses," and this information will be made publicly available. The bill also amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions to comply with these new fire safety requirements as part of their program participation agreements, though being designated as "Not Federally Recognized Fire-Safe" will not automatically disqualify an institution from receiving federal student aid.

Education

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7168/all-info