This bill amends existing legislation to enhance the protection of residential tenants from lead-based paint hazards by introducing new definitions such as "common area," "dwelling unit," and "planned real estate development." It mandates that municipalities with a permanent local agency conduct inspections of rental dwelling units and their common areas for lead-based paint hazards either at tenant turnover or within three years of the law's effective date. If a municipality does not have a local agency, it must hire a certified lead evaluation contractor for inspections. The bill also requires inspections every three years or upon tenant turnover unless the property owner has a valid lead-safe certification. Additionally, it outlines property owners' responsibilities regarding lead-safe certifications and remediation processes, while municipalities are tasked with reporting inspected units and identified hazards to the Department of Community Affairs.

Moreover, the bill modifies existing laws related to lead-based paint inspections, allowing municipalities with local construction code enforcement agencies to either conduct inspections themselves or hire certified contractors. It also introduces shared service agreements for fulfilling inspection requirements and changes the criteria for exemptions from inspections, focusing on outstanding lead-based paint violations instead of registration with the Department of Community Affairs. The validity of lead-safe certifications is extended from two to three years, and the notification process for identified lead hazards is revised. The Department of Health is empowered to set blood-lead level standards, and the Department of Community Affairs is required to create an electronic educational program on lead hazards. Notably, the bill repeals certain requirements from the "Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law" regarding lead inspections and certifications. The bill is set to take effect immediately, with some provisions applying retroactively to agreements made after July 22, 2022.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:27D-437.16, 52:27D-437.17, 55:13A-12.2