Senate Bill 2415

AN ACT TO REQUIRE CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS IN ALL PUBLIC AND NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS IN MISSISSIPPI; TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING AND INSPECTING CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTION AND WARNING EQUIPMENT INSTALLED IN PUBLIC OR NONPUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) Effective July 1, 2024, the State Fire Marshal shall adopt and administer regulations providing for carbon monoxide detection and warning equipment in all public or nonpublic school buildings.

(2) The regulations shall provide:

(a) The requirements for markings and literature which shall accompany such equipment sufficient to inform the appropriate school officials responsible for such buildings of the purpose, protective limitations, correct installation, operating, testing, maintenance and replacement procedures and servicing instructions for such equipment;

(b) That smoke detection and warning equipment which is installed in school buildings shall be capable of sensing visible or invisible smoke particles;

(d) That such installation shall not exceed the standards under which such equipment was tested and approved; and

(e) That such equipment, when activated, shall provide an alarm suitable to warn the occupants.

(3) The regulations shall:

(a) Provide the requirements for testing and inspecting carbon monoxide detection and warning equipment installed in public or nonpublic school buildings and shall include, but not be limited to, the frequency with which such equipment shall be tested and inspected;

(b) Require that, for a public or nonpublic school building:

(i) Any carbon monoxide detection equipment installed in any such building meet or exceed the Underwriter's Laboratories Standard Number 2075; or

(ii) Any carbon monoxide warning equipment installed in any such building meet or exceed the Underwriter's Laboratories Standard Number 2034;

(c) Require the installation and maintenance of such detection or warning equipment to comply with the manufacturer's instructions and with the standards set forth by the National Fire Protection Association; and

(d) Prohibit, for public and nonpublic school buildings, the installation of any battery-operated carbon monoxide warning equipment or any plug-in carbon monoxide warning equipment that has a battery as its back-up power source.

(4) (a) No local school board, superintendent or supervisory agent of a nonpublic school, and

(b) No employee, officer or agent of such school, board or supervisory agent, acting without malice, in good faith and within the scope of his or her employment or official duties, shall be liable for any damage to any person or property resulting from the failure to detect carbon monoxide within a public school building, provided carbon monoxide detection equipment is installed and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's published instructions and with the regulations established pursuant to this section.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.