BILL NUMBER: S8186
SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to screening for lead
poisoning in children
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to require primary care providers to ensure
follow up screening for children testing with elevated blood-lead levels
and require the department of health to ensure all environmental
inspections occur in accordance with current regulations.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the public health law to first, require primary care
providers to recommend follow up blood Led Level screening for children
that test with elevated blood lead levels. The blood lead, levels must
be between 15 micrograms per deciliter of whole blood through 24.99
micrograms per deciliter of whole blood.
Second, the bill requires that if a child's blood level test is above 25
micrograms per deciliter of whole blood, the state must ensure that the
environmental inspection, as required in NYC RR Title X, part 67-1, has
been completed. Finally, if the environmental inspection has not been
completed, the department of health must complete the inspection imme-
diately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Children are at the highest risk when exposed to lead paint. Once
exposed to dangerous levels, there is no remediation available. Lead
paint exposure can cause gastrointestinal disturbances, hepatic an renal
damage, hypertension, and neurological effects that may be fatal.
If children are over exposed to lead and suffer from lead poisoning,
they can be left with lifelong health issues. According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), "young children absorb 4-5 times as much lead
as adults..."
The reasons children are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of lead
exposure include: 1) the intake of lead per unit body weight is higher,
2) more dust may be ingested, 3) lead absorption in the gastrointestinal
tract is higher, 4) the blood-brain bather is not yet fully developed,
and 5) neurological effects occur at lower levels than in adults.
By requiring expanded follow-up, the department will be able to monitor
exposure and ensure proper environmental remediation happens expe-
ditiously.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Assembly: 02/24/21 referred to health,
01/05/22 referred to health, 01/09/19 Referred to Health, 06/14/18
Referred to Health
Senate: 02/26/18 Referred to Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This Act shall take effect immediately

Statutes affected:
S8186: 1370-e public health law