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Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990

Public Law 101-391 · H.R. 94 · 101st Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Sep 25, 1990 · Emergency Management

Sponsor: Rep. Sherry Boehlert (R-NY-25)

Cosponsors (58): Rep. Douglas Walgren,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990 - Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to require States to submit to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency a list of public accommodations which meet this Act's fire safety guidelines so that the Director can compile, publish, and distribute to Federal agencies a master list of all public accommodations that meet such guidelines. Establishes fire safety guidelines requiring that, in each public accommodation: (1) hard-wired, single-station smoke detectors be installed in each guest room in accordance with the appropriate American National Standard for Fire Alarm Systems; and (2) an automatic sprinkler system be installed in accordance with the appropriate American National Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, except in places that are three stories or lower.

Authorizes the Director to take steps to encourage States to promote the use of automatic sprinkler and smoke detection systems and to disseminate information on the life safety value and use of such systems.

Amends Federal law to limit the studies and surveys conducted to establish the lodging expenses of Federal employees on official business to public accommodations which meet fire safety guidelines. Prohibits the General Services Administration (GSA) from listing rates offered by places of public accommodation which do not meet such guidelines in any directory of lodging accommodations for Federal employees on official business. Requires that such directories include a description of the access and safety devices which each listed public accommodation provides for handicapped guests. Permits the GSA to take additional actions encouraging Federal employees to use public accommodations that meet fire safety guidelines.

Sets forth minimum percentages (eventually reaching 90 percent) of total nights spent by agency employees on official business in public accommodations which must be spent in accommodations meeting fire safety guidelines.

Prohibits Federal funding for meetings, conventions, conferences, or training seminars at public accommodations that do not meet fire safety guidelines.

Protects the Federal Government from liability for damages resulting from the negligence of Federal employees in carrying out this Act's provisions.

Prohibits this Act from being construed as encouraging the reduction of requirements for fire resistive walls or other safety features.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 23 actions.

  1. Sep 25, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-391.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Sep 14, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 10, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Walker demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules. Without objection a second was ordered.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Roe moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
  8. Aug 4, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  9. Aug 1, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  10. Jun 27, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  11. Apr 19, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Consumer Affairs and Product Safety Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  12. Nov 22, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  13. Nov 17, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  14. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  15. FloorFloor · Mr. Walgren moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  16. Nov 15, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  17. May 10, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  18. Apr 12, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  19. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  20. Mar 2, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  21. Jan 24, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  22. Jan 3, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  23. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.