The bill amends the "Clean Drinking Water Access Act" to enhance the management and safety of drinking water in schools. It requires each school to develop a drinking water management plan within 24 months of the effective date of the amendatory act. This plan must include the locations of water outlets, a schedule for annual water testing to ensure lead concentrations do not exceed 5 parts per billion, and a protocol for addressing any lead contamination found. Schools are also mandated to review and update their plans every five years and comply with specific testing and remediation procedures if lead is detected.

Additionally, the bill extends the deadline for schools to install filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets to the end of the 2028-2029 school year, while requiring the shutdown of any non-filtered water outlets. Schools must submit annual documentation to the department certifying compliance with these requirements. The bill also stipulates that no new drinking fountains can be installed unless they are filtered bottle-filling stations, effective January 24, 2025. Furthermore, it emphasizes that schools are not obligated to comply unless the legislature appropriates sufficient funds for the act's implementation.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 380.1905, 380.1907