Seton Hall Fire Victims Remembrance Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Kean
Introduced
Summary
Stronger dormitory fire-safety standards would be required at colleges that receive federal education funds. The Secretary of Education would create and finalize standards for fire suppression in student housing and update them every 10 years with experts like the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
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- Covered institutions would need a certified assessment within 1 year after standards are finalized and every 5 years after. Each dormitory would receive a compliance designation within 6 months of its assessment.
- Students and families would get public, accessible information because the Department of Education must publish assessments and campus designations on its website.
- The Secretary would submit recommendations to Congress within 3 years to maximize compliance and provide technical assistance to institutions. The bill also adds a new compliance requirement to the Higher Education Act while saying a noncompliant designation alone would not strip an institution of federal program participation.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Federal help for campus compliance
If enacted, the bill would require the Education Secretary, with NIST, to give Congress recommendations to maximize compliance and to provide technical assistance to covered colleges. These actions must be completed not later than three years after enactment. The help would be technical advice and recommendations intended to help schools meet the new fire-suppression standards.
Campus safety checks and labels
If enacted, the bill would require each covered college to assess whether its dorms meet the new fire-suppression standards. Assessments would be due not later than one year after the standards are finalized and every five years after that. An expert in fire suppression systems must verify the assessment and the school must certify it when submitted. The Education Department would post assessments and, within six months of receiving them, label each campus or dorm as either 'Federally Recognized Fire-Safe Campus' or 'Not Federally Recognized Fire-Safe Campus' in an accessible public format.
New dorm fire-safety standards
If enacted, the bill would require the Education Secretary, with NIST and experts, to write national fire-suppression standards for dorms and other student housing. The standards must be finalized not later than two years after enactment. They must include a timeline for phasing in changes and a threshold for getting a compliance designation. The Secretary would update the standards every 10 years. The bill also defines which colleges and campuses are covered based on existing Higher Education Act and General Education Provisions Act terms.
Schools must promise fire-safety compliance
If enacted, the bill would amend schools' program participation agreements to require a statement that the institution will comply with this Act. The bill would also say that being labeled 'Not Federally Recognized Fire-Safe Campus' alone cannot, by itself, stop a school from taking part in certain federal programs under Subchapter IV. These changes would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kean
NJ • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
NJ • D
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov