This bill aims to enhance lead paint poisoning prevention and remediation efforts by lowering the childhood blood lead action level from 5 micrograms per deciliter to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter. It mandates that all municipal building permit applications include the EPA-RRP license number for individuals involved in renovation, repair, or painting of buildings constructed before January 1, 1978. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to inspect all other units in a multi-unit dwelling if one unit is found to have a lead hazard. It also establishes a rebuttable presumption that any housing built prior to 1978 contains lead hazards unless proven otherwise by a lead inspector.

Key changes in the bill include the deletion of the previous blood lead level threshold of 5 micrograms per deciliter and its replacement with the new threshold of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter. Furthermore, the bill modifies the inspection protocol, mandating that the Department shall conduct inspections of all other units in a multi-unit dwelling if a lead hazard is identified, rather than having the option to do so. The bill also introduces a new section that presumes pre-1978 housing contains lead-based substances, thereby shifting the burden of proof to property owners. The implementation of these measures is expected to increase the workload for the Department of Health and Human Services, necessitating additional staffing and resources to manage the anticipated rise in cases of lead exposure.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 130-A:6