article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Campus Fire Safety Right to Know Act''. SEC. 2. DISCLOSURE OF FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS AND MEASURES WITH RESPECT TO CAMPUS BUILDINGS. Section 485 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)(1)-- (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (N); (B) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (O) and inserting ``; and''; and (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ``(P) the fire safety report prepared by the institution pursuant to subsection (h).''; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(h) Disclosure of Fire Safety Standards and Measures.-- ``(1) Fire safety reports required.--Each eligible institution participating in any program under this title shall, beginning in 2001, and each year thereafter, prepare, publish, and distribute, through appropriate publications or mailings, to all current students and employees, and to any applicant for enrollment or employment upon request, an annual fire safety report containing at least the following information with respect to the campus fire safety practices and standards of that institution: ``(A) A statement that identifies each student housing facility of the institution, and whether or not each such facility is equipped with a fire sprinkler system or another equally protective fire safety system. ``(B) Statistics concerning the occurrence on campus, during the 2 preceding calendar years for which data are available, of fires and false fire alarms. ``(C) For each such occurrence, a statement of the human injuries or deaths and the structural damage caused by the occurrence. ``(D) Information regarding fire alarms, smoke alarms, the presence of adequate fire escape planning or protocols, rules on portable electrical appliances, smoking and open flames (such as candles), regular mandatory supervised fire drills, and planned and future improvement in fire safety. ``(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the Secretary to require particular policies, procedures, or practices by institutions of higher education with respect to fire safety. ``(3) Reports.--Each institution participating in any program under this title shall make timely reports to the campus community on fires that are reported to local fire departments and the incidence of false fire alarms on campus. Such reports shall be provided to students and employees in a manner that is timely and that will aid in the prevention of similar occurrences. ``(4) Logs.--Each institution participating in any program under this title shall make, keep, and maintain a log, written in a form that can be easily understood, recording all fires reported to local fire departments, including the nature, date, time, and general location of each fire, and all false fire alarms. All entries that are required pursuant to this paragraph shall, except where disclosure of such information is prohibited by law, be open to public inspection. ``(5) Reports to secretary.--On an annual basis, each institution participating in any program under this title shall submit to the Secretary a copy of the statistics required to be made available under paragraph (1)(B). The Secretary shall-- ``(A) review such statistics; ``(B) make copies of the statistics submitted to the Secretary available to the public; and ``(C) in coordination with representatives of institutions of higher education, identify exemplary fire safety policies, procedures, and practices and disseminate information concerning those policies, procedures, and practices that have proven effective in the reduction of campus fires. ``(6) Definition of campus.--In this subsection the term `campus' has the meaning provided in subsection (f)(6).''. SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS BY SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall prepare and submit to the Congress a report containing-- (1) an analysis of the current status of fire safety systems in college and university facilities, including sprinkler systems; (2) an analysis of the appropriate fire safety standards to apply to these facilities, which the Secretary shall prepare after consultation with such fire safety experts, representatives of institutions of higher education, and other Federal agencies as the Secretary, in the Secretary's discretion, considers appropriate; (3) an estimate of the cost of bringing all nonconforming dormitories and other campus buildings up to current new building codes; and (4) recommendations from the Secretary concerning the best means of meeting fire safety standards in all college and university facilities, including recommendations for methods to fund such cost.
summary: Directs the Secretary to: (1) review such statistics; (2) make copies available to the public; (3) identify exemplary fire safety policies, procedures, and practices, and disseminate information concerning those policies, procedures, and practices that have proven effective in the reduction of campus fires; and (4) report to the Congress analyses of the current status of fire safety systems in college and university facilities, and of the appropriate fire safety standards to apply to these facilities, as well as cost estimates and recommendations.