Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make competitive demonstration grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), fraternities, and sororities for up to half the cost of installing approved fire suppression systems in student housing and dormitories owned or controlled by such entities.
Gives grant priority to applicants that demonstrate the greatest financial need.
Reserves the following portions of grant funds made available for each fiscal year: (1) at least 10% for historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and IHEs that are eligible for Institutional Aid under the Higher Education Act of 1965; and (2) at least 10% for social fraternities and sororities.
Provides that any application for assistance under this Act, any negative determination on the part of the Secretary with respect to such application, or any statement of reasons for the determination, shall not be admissible as evidence in any proceeding of any court, agency, board, or other entity (except a proceeding to enforce an agreement entered into between the Secretary and a grantee under this Act).
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1437 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1437
To establish the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones Fire Suppression
Demonstration Incentive Program within the Department of Education to
promote installation of fire sprinkler systems, or other fire
suppression or prevention technologies, in qualified student housing
and dormitories, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 9, 2013
Ms. Fudge (for herself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Eddie Bernice
Johnson of Texas, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Danny
K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Lewis, Ms. Clarke, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Clay,
and Ms. Brown of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones Fire Suppression
Demonstration Incentive Program within the Department of Education to
promote installation of fire sprinkler systems, or other fire
suppression or prevention technologies, in qualified student housing
and dormitories, and for other purposes.
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 ``Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones
College Fire Prevention Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Approved fire suppression system.--The term ``approved
fire suppression system'' means a fire suppression system
that--
(A) meets with applicable codes and standards for
the jurisdiction where it is being installed, or the
standards promulgated by national model code
organizations such as the National Fire Protection
Association or the International Code Council;
(B) ensures that the safety of students with
disabilities is met; and
(C) may include--
(i) an automatic fire sprinkler system;
(ii) a fire and smoke alarm and detection
system; and
(iii) a mass communication system that can
be used in the event of a fire, disaster, or
other emergency.
(2) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1002).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONORABLE STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES FIRE
SUPPRESSION DEMONSTRATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
(a) Grants.--The Secretary, in consultation with the United States
Fire Administration, shall establish a demonstration program to award
grants on a competitive basis to any eligible entity for the purpose of
installing approved fire suppression systems in student housing and
dormitories owned or controlled by that eligible entity.
(b) Eligible Entity.--In this Act, the term ``eligible entity''
means any of the following:
(1) An institution of higher education, including an
institution eligible to receive assistance under part A or B of
title III or title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1057 et seq.; 20 U.S.C. 1060 et seq.; 20 U.S.C. 1101 et
seq.).
(2) A social fraternity or sorority exempt from taxation
under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26
U.S.C. 501(a)), the active membership of which consists
primarily of students in attendance at an institution of higher
education.
(c) Selection Priority.--In making grants under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that demonstrate the
greatest financial need.
(d) Reserved Amounts.--
(1) In general.--Of the amount made available to the
Secretary for grants under this section for each fiscal year,
the Secretary shall award--
(A) not less than 10 percent to eligible entities
that are institutions described in subsection (b)(1)
that are eligible to receive assistance under part A or
B of title III or title V of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1057 et seq.; 20 U.S.C. 1060 et
seq.; 20 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.); and
(B) not less than 10 percent to eligible entities
that are social fraternities and sororities described
in subsection (b)(2).
(2) Plan required.--The Secretary shall develop a plan to
inform eligible entities described in subparagraphs (A) and (B)
of paragraph (1) that such entities may be eligible to apply
for grants under this section.
(3) Insufficient applicants.--If the Secretary determines
that there are an insufficient number of qualified applicants
to award the reserved amounts required in accordance with
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make available the remainder
of such reserved amounts for use by other eligible entities.
(e) Application.--To seek a grant under this section, an eligible
entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may
require.
(f) Matching Requirement.--As a condition of receipt of a grant
under subsection (a), the eligible entity shall provide (directly or
through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal matching
funds in an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of the cost of the
activities for which assistance is sought.
(g) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds made available under this
program shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other funds that
would otherwise be expended to carry out fire safety activities.
(h) Limitation on Administrative Expenses.--Not more than 2 percent
of a grant made under subsection (a) may be expended for administrative
expenses with respect to the grant.
(i) Reports.--Not later than 12 months after the date of the first
award of a grant under this section and annually thereafter until
completion of the program, the Secretary shall provide to Congress a
report that includes--
(1) the number and types of eligible entities receiving
assistance under this section;
(2) the amount of assistance received under this section,
the amount and source of non-Federal funding leveraged for
activities under grants under this section, and any other
relevant financial information;
(3) the number and types of student housing fitted with
fire suppression or prevention technologies with assistance
under this section, and the number of students protected by
such technologies;
(4) the types of fire suppression or prevention
technologies installed with assistance under this section, and
the costs of such technologies;
(5) identification of any Federal, State, or local policy
that presents an impediment to the development and installation
of fire suppression or prevention technologies; and
(6) any other information determined by the Secretary to be
useful in evaluating the overall effectiveness of the program
established under this section in improving the fire safety of
student housing.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 2014 through 2016.
SEC. 4. ADMISSIBILITY AS EVIDENCE.
(a) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law and
subject to subsection (b), any application for assistance under this
Act, any negative determination on the part of the Secretary with
respect to such application, or any statement of reasons for the
determination, shall not be admissible as evidence in any proceeding of
any court, agency, board, or other entity.
(b) Exception.--This section does not apply to the admission of an
application, determination, or statement described in subsection (a) as
evidence in a proceeding to enforce an agreement entered into between
the Secretary and an eligible entity under section 3.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
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