Regular Session 2015-2016 Senate Bill 0016 P.N. 1956

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1722

PRINTER'S NO. 1956

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

Session of

2015

INTRODUCED BY YUDICHAK, HUGHES, FONTANA, KITCHEN, HAYWOOD,

COSTA, SABATINA, ARGALL, TEPLITZ, WOZNIAK, GREENLEAF,

FARNESE, WILEY, WARD, BLAKE, SCHWANK, BREWSTER AND DINNIMAN,

APRIL 20, 2016

SENATOR VANCE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, AS AMENDED,

JUNE 22, 2016

AN ACT

Establishing a task force on lead and the hazards of lead

poisoning; and authorizing a study.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Legislative findings.

The General Assembly finds as follows:

(1) The recent events in Flint, Michigan, have brought

national attention to lead levels in drinking water.

(2) Based on the 2010 census, Pennsylvania ranks fifth

nationally in the percentage of homes built before 1978.

(3) Based on the 2010 census, Pennsylvania ranks fifth

nationally in the percentage of homes built before 1950.

(4) Older homes are significantly more likely to contain

lead paint, lead pipes or copper pipes with lead soldering.

(5) Lead affects virtually every system in the body and

is particularly harmful to a child's developing brain and

nervous system.

Section 2. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Commission." The Joint State Government Commission of the

Commonwealth.

"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.

"Task force." The lead task force established under this

act.

Section 3. Establishment and composition.

(a) Establishment.--There is established within the

commission a lead task force to provide for the purposes

authorized under subsection (b) and to make recommendations to

the Governor and the General Assembly regarding legislative,

regulatory or policy initiatives designed to protect the public

health from lead exposure.

(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the task force are to:

(1) Provide a comprehensive assessment of the health

concerns of lead on the residents of this Commonwealth.

(2) Assess and study the prevalence of lead in homes,

schools, day-care centers, pipelines and other places in

which lead exposure is possible.

(3) Study the remedies used by the Commonwealth and

other states and make recommendations to the General Assembly

on changes to laws, regulations, rules or programs to ensure

that the health of the residents of this Commonwealth is

protected from the effects of lead.

following members:

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(1) The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee.

(2) The Secretary of Environmental Protection, or his or

her designee.

(3) The Secretary of Education, or his or her designee.

(4) The Secretary of Human Services, or his or her

designee.

(5) The chairperson of the Pennsylvania Public Utility

Commission, or his or her designee.

(6) The executive director of the Pennsylvania Housing

and Finance Agency, or his or her designee.

(7) The Physician General of the Commonwealth, or his or

her designee.

(8) The executive director of the Housing Alliance of

Pennsylvania.

(9) Nine individuals appointed by the commission as

follows:

(i) two individuals who are pediatric doctors with

experience in lead poisoning;

(ii) one individual who is the parent of a child

with elevated lead levels;

(iii) one individual representing municipal water

authorities;

(iv) one individual representing rural water

companies;

(v) one individual representing investor-owned water

companies that are not owned by a municipal water

authority or a rural water company;

(vi) one individual who is certified to remediate

lead in this Commonwealth;

(vii) one individual who works in maintenance in a

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school in an urban school district; and

(viii) one individual who works in maintenance in a

school in a rural school district.

(10) One member of the Senate appointed by the President

pro tempore.

(11) One member of the Senate appointed by the Minority

Leader of the Senate.

(12) One member of the House of Representatives

appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(13) One member of the House of Representatives

appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of

Representatives.

Section 4. Powers and duties.

The task force shall work with the department to conduct a

comprehensive review and analysis of the laws, regulations,

policies and procedures of the Commonwealth and of other states

regarding an assessment of lead as a public health concern. The

task force's analysis and recommendations shall include, but not

be limited to, the following areas:

(1) An assessment of the age of this Commonwealth's

housing stock, public housing units, water pipelines, school

buildings and day-care facilities.

(2) An assessment of the threat lead exposure places on

public health.

(3) An assessment of the prevalence of lead in homes,

schools, day-care centers and other places in which children

spend a majority of their days.

(4) An assessment of the Commonwealth's approach to lead

testing and remediation and how it compares to other states.

(5) An assessment of the cost of remediating lead

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hazards in this Commonwealth and potential funding sources

for remediation assistance programs.

(6) Other assessments of lead-related issues deemed

appropriate by the commission.

Section 5. Report.

(a) Submission.--The task force shall submit a report

containing its findings and recommendations no later than

December 31, 2017, to the following:

(1) The Governor.

(2) The President pro tempore of the Senate.

(3) The Minority Leader of the Senate.

(4) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(5) The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(b) Publication.--Upon submission of the report required

under subsection (a), the task force shall transmit notice of

the submission of the report to the Legislative Reference Bureau

for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Section 6. Meetings, compensation and administrative support.

(a) Meetings.--The task force shall hold its first meeting

within 60 days of the effective date of this act and shall meet

as deemed necessary by the chairperson COMMISSION in order to

carry out the purposes of this act.

(b) Administrative support.--The commission shall make

office space available to the task force. The commission shall

provide administrative support and any other technical

assistance required by the task force to carry out its duties

under this act.

Section 7. Expiration.

This act shall expire upon publication of the notice under

section 5(b).

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Section 8. Effective date.

This act shall take effect immediately.

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