Amanda’s Law, passed in the 2009 Session of the New York State Legislature, will
establish a new requirement for installation of carbon monoxide detectors in homes.
Under the law, one-family homes, two-family homes, dwellings located in condominiums
or cooperatives, and multiple dwellings must have a carbon monoxide detector installed
regardless of the date of construction or sale.
The law was named after Amanda Hansen, a teenager whose life was tragically ended by
a carbon monoxide leak from a defective boiler while she was sleeping at a friend’s
house in January 2009.
The new law requires that the carbon monoxide detector be a device meeting New York
State standards, and that it be installed in an operable condition in dwellings where there
are appliances or systems that may emit carbon monoxide or have an attached garage.
Prior to Amanda’s Law, carbon monoxide detectors were required in one-family
dwellings, two-family dwellings, and dwellings located in condominiums or cooperatives
only if they were constructed or offered for sale after July 30, 2002. For multiple
dwellings (such as a tenement, hotel, and dormitories) carbon monoxide detectors were
required if they were constructed or offered for sale after August 9, 2005.
As a result of Amanda’s Law, a carbon monoxide detector will be found in nearly all
residential structures in the state. This creates a safer living environment for New York
residents and creates a greater awareness of home safety issues that are intensified by
seasonal heating issues prevalent in the Northeast.
Amanda’s Law