Safe Temperature Act of 2019

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 17 To provide for a comfortable and safe temperature level in dwelling units receiving certain Federal housing assistance, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JANUARY 3, 2019 Mr. RUBIO introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs A BILL To provide for a comfortable and safe temperature level in dwelling units receiving certain Federal housing assist- ance, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe Temperature Act 4 of 2019’’. 5 SEC. 2. COMFORTABLE AND SAFE TEMPERATURE LEVEL IN 6 FEDERALLY ASSISTED HOUSING. 7 (a) PUBLIC HOUSING AND PROJECT-BASED ASSIST- 8 ANCE.—The United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 9 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.) is amended— 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:56 Jan 04, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S17.IS S17 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 17 IS (1) in section 8(o) (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)), by 1 adding at the end the following: 2 ‘‘(P) MAINTAINING TEMPERATURE LEVEL 3 IN UNITS.—The Secretary may require the 4 owner of a dwelling unit receiving assistance 5 under a housing assistance payment under this 6 paragraph to ensure that the dwelling unit 7 maintains a comfortable and safe temperature 8 level ranging from 71 degrees to 81 degrees 9 Fahrenheit.’’; and 10 (2) in section 9 (42 U.S.C. 1437g), by adding 11 at the end the following: 12 ‘‘(p) USE OF FUNDS TO MAINTAIN TEMPERATE 13 LEVEL IN UNITS.—With respect to a public housing 14 dwelling unit, the Secretary may use amounts in the Cap- 15 ital Fund or the Operating Fund to ensure that the dwell- 16 ing unit maintains a comfortable and safe temperature 17 level ranging from 71 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.’’. 18 (b) SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY.— 19 Section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 is amended by 20 striking the first and second subsection (m) and inserting 21 the following: 22 ‘‘(m) MAINTAINING TEMPERATURE IN UNITS.—The 23 Secretary may require the owner of housing assisted under 24 this section to ensure that each unit in that housing main- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:56 Jan 04, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S17.IS S17 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 17 IS tains a comfortable and safe temperature level ranging 1 from 71 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.’’. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:56 Jan 04, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S17.IS S17 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS