# Plain Language Summary: Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2021

This bill requires the federal government to make its buildings safer for birds by reducing bird collisions with glass and other structures. Birds frequently fly into building windows and glass surfaces, causing millions of deaths each year. The bill aims to prevent these accidents by requiring federal buildings to install bird-safe design features like special glass, decals, screens, or other visible markers that help birds see and avoid obstacles.

The law applies to new federal buildings and major renovations of existing federal buildings. When the government constructs or significantly upgrades a building, it must incorporate bird-safe materials and design practices. This might include using glass that reflects less light, adding patterns or markers to windows, installing screens, or using other proven methods to make buildings more visible to birds. The specific requirements would be determined by federal agencies based on best practices and scientific evidence about what actually works.

The practical impact is fairly limited for most people since this mainly affects how the federal government builds and maintains its own facilities. However, it could serve as a model for private buildings and other organizations to follow similar practices. For bird enthusiasts and wildlife advocates, it represents an effort to reduce unnecessary bird deaths from a preventable cause. The bill doesn't impose costs on private citizens or businesses, though it may increase construction costs slightly for federal building projects by requiring these additional safety features during the design and building process.

Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2021

Booker, Cory A.

Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2021 This bill requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to develop and implement strategies for reducing bird fatalities from collisions with public buildings. Specifically, the GSA must incorporate relevant features and strategies into public buildings that are newly constructed, acquired, or substantially altered so as to reduce bird fatalities. The GSA must also develop a related design guide and annually certify its active use. The bill's provisions do not apply to buildings and sites on the National Register of Historic Places, the White House and its grounds, the Supreme Court building and its grounds, or the U.S. Capitol and any buildings on its grounds.