Law aims at eliminating deaths caused by carbon monoxide
By Misa Maruyama
Medill News Service
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Lawmakers in Springfield have upped the ante in dealing with landlords and homeowners in the state who refuse to install a carbon monoxide detector.
As of Jan. 1, people who take the gamble not to install and maintain a detector after a warning from the Chicago Fire Department could face up to six months in jail and pay $1,500 in fines.
Residences that do not have an attached garage and are not heated by natural gas or other fossil fuels are exempt from the new Illinois law. The legislation mandates that all homes, apartments and condos be equipped with a carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of every bedroom. Homeowners and landlords are responsible for installing the detector.
Full Story: Lack of a detector could result in fine, jail time