S. 596 — Introduced in Senate

II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 596 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 9, 2017Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, and Mrs. Feinstein) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to prescribe regulations establishing minimum standards for space for passengers on passenger aircraft, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Seat Egress in Air Travel Act of 2017 or the SEAT Act of 2017. 2. Regulations relating to space for passengers on aircraft (a) Air carrier defined In this section, the term air carrier means an air carrier (as defined in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code) that transports passengers by aircraft as a common carrier for compensation. (b) Regulations relating to space for passengers on aircraft Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall prescribe regulations— (1) establishing minimum standards for space for passengers on passenger aircraft, including the size, width, and pitch of seats, the amount of leg room, and the width of aisles on such aircraft for the safety and health of passengers; and (2) requiring each air carrier to prominently display on the website of the air carrier the amount of space available for each passenger on passenger aircraft operated by the air carrier, including the size, width, and pitch of seats, the amount of leg room, and the width of aisles on such aircraft. (c) Consultations In prescribing the regulations required under subsection (b), the Administrator shall consult with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, passenger advocacy organizations, physicians, and ergonomic engineers.