Detector bill passes House

A bill aimed at putting more carbon monoxide detectors in private homes and rentals won House approval today on a 43-21 vote.

Republicans balked at passing the bill without changing it to require state-run dorms and nursing homes to install the safety devices as well. Democratic sponsors argued the change would have upped the cost and killed the bill.

House Bill 1091 next goes to the Senate.

The bill would require that all homes built after July 1 or sold on or after that date have carbon-monoxide detectors installed.

Homebuilders would be responsible for installation of detectors in new
homes, while homeowners would have to make sure the alarms are
installed when they put their homes on the market.

The legislation requires any apartment buildings built after July 1
to have CO detectors, and it would require that existing apartments
rented to new tenants after that date be equipped with the alarms.

Tenants in long-term leases, however, would not be affected until the leases run out.

The floor vote follows the emotional testimony in committee of those
who've recently lost family members to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Denver residents Parker Lofgren, 39; Caroline Lofgren, 42; and their
children, Owen, 10, and Sophie, 8 were found dead Nov. 28 in an Aspen
home where they were vacationing.

Authorities blamed a disconnected boiler exhaust pipe for the carbon
monoxide leak but have not said whether the home had a detector.

University of Denver student Lauren Johnson, 23, was found dead in
her apartment Jan. 5, apparently of carbon-monoxide poisoning from a
faulty heater vent.

Relatives of the Lofgrens and Johnson testified at the hearing
before the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee, breaking down in
sobs at times.

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