H.R. 7168: Seton Hall Fire Victims Remembrance Act of 2026

The Seton Hall Fire Victims Remembrance Act of 2026 aims to enhance fire safety in dormitories and residential facilities at institutions of higher education that receive federal funding. The key points of the bill include the following:

Development of Fire Suppression Standards

The bill instructs the Secretary of Education, in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to establish standards for fire suppression systems in student housing. This must be completed within two years of the bill's enactment, and the standards will be reviewed and updated every ten years.

Recommendations and Assistance

Three years after establishing the fire suppression standards, the Secretary of Education is required to:

• Submit recommendations to Congress to ensure compliance by educational institutions.
• Offer technical assistance to help institutions meet these standards.

Compliance Assessments

Covered institutions must perform compliance assessments following the finalization of the fire safety standards. Specifically:

• They must conduct an assessment within one year after the standards are finalized and then every five years.
• These assessments will be verified by a fire suppression expert.
• Institutions will report their compliance status to the Secretary, which creates a formal record of their fire safety measures.

Compliance Designations

Based on the assessments, the Secretary will designate institutions as either:

• Federally Recognized Fire-Safe Campus if compliant with the standards.
• Not Federally Recognized Fire-Safe Campus if non-compliant.

These designations will be made publicly available on the Department of Education's website, ensuring transparency regarding fire safety on college campuses.

Participation Agreement in Federal Programs

The bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965, requiring covered institutions to comply with the fire safety standards as a condition for participation in federal education programs. Nonetheless, it clarifies that non-compliance does not preclude institutions from participating in these programs solely based on their compliance designation.

Definitions

The legislation defines key terms, such as:

• Covered institution: An institution of higher education receiving federal funds.
• Institution of higher education: Defined as per existing federal education law.

Relevant Companies

• None found