LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY
OFFICE OF FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
200 W. Washington, Suite 301
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 233-0696
iga.in.gov
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LS 7302 NOTE PREPARED: Jan 15, 2021
BILL NUMBER: HB 1341 BILL AMENDED:
SUBJECT: Radon Testing in School Buildings.
FIRST AUTHOR: Rep. Andrade BILL STATUS: As Introduced
FIRST SPONSOR:
FUNDS AFFECTED: X GENERAL IMPACT: State & Local
DEDICATED
X FEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: This bill requires each person or entity having authority over a public school
building to test for radon in the school building. The bill requires the reporting of the test results to the State
Department of Health. It requires the State Department of Health to record the test results in a database and
to use the database in its efforts to reduce the health risks of radon to the people of Indiana.
Effective Date: July 1, 2021.
Explanation of State Expenditures: Agency Workload - The State Department of Health (ISDH) will
experience additional workload to collect and study radon testing data from school corporations as required
by the bill. Additionally, if the bill results in school personnel seeking certification as radon testers, the ISDH
may require additional workload to process a higher volume of certification applications. The bill’s
requirements could represent an additional workload outside of the ISDH’s routine administrative functions
if the additional volume of radon test reporting extends beyond existing staffing and resource capacity. The
additional funds and resources required could be supplied through existing staff and resources currently
being used in another program or with new appropriations. Ultimately, the source of funds and resources
required to satisfy the requirements of this bill will depend on legislative and administrative actions.
Testing Costs - The bill specifies that school corporations shall seek any available state or federal grant funds
to pay for the cost of radon testing. The ISDH may be able to award grants from the Radon Gas Trust Fund
or from the federal State Indoor Radon Grant (SIRG) program for the purposes of radon testing required by
the bill. The Radon Gas Trust Fund received appropriations of $10,670 in FY 2020 and 2021. Expenditures
from the fund totaled $2,800 in FY 2020, most of which was distributed as grants to local governments.
Indiana was awarded approximately $82,000 in federal SIRG funds in FFY 2019 and 2020. [An information
HB 1341 1
request regarding the availability of funds from the Radon Gas Trust Fund and SIRG for schools is pending
with the ISDH. This fiscal impact statement will be updated upon receipt of additional information.]
Explanation of State Revenues: Certification Fees - The ISDH certifies radon testers and collects a $100
biennial fee for certification, deposited in the Radon Gas Trust Fund. If school corporations choose to train
and certify an employee to complete the radon testing required by the bill, fee revenue may increase. Any
increase in fee revenue is expected to be small.
Penalties - Certified radon testers are required to report the testing results of all buildings tested to the ISDH.
To the extent that the required reporting is not completed, the ISDH may impose a civil penalty of up to
$1,000 per day for the number of days the tester is documented to have been in violation. Civil penalties are
deposited in the General Fund. Any revenue from civil penalties is expected to be small.
Explanation of Local Expenditures: Radon Testing - The bill requires public school buildings to test the
air in the lowest level of the buildings for actionable radon levels before January 1, 2024. The estimated cost
of radon testing conducted by a certified professional is between $20 and $50 per room. The total costs per
school corporation will depend the number of school buildings required to be tested and the number of rooms
tested in the lowest level of each building. Estimated testing costs for a school building that tests between
15 and 30 rooms would be between $300 and $1,500. If state and federal grant funds are unavailable to pay
for the required testing, school corporations would bear these costs.
Radon Mitigation - The bill does not require school buildings to conduct radon mitigation after finding
actionable levels of radon. However, it is likely that school corporations would take voluntary action to
mitigate the any radon contamination discovered. A recent study published in the International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health estimates the costs of radon mitigation in U.S. schools are
between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on characteristics of the building and the underlying soil.
Explanation of Local Revenues:
State Agencies Affected: State Department of Health.
Local Agencies Affected: School corporations.
Information Sources: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2018), Radon
in Schools: A Brief Review of State Laws and Regulations in the United States; Legislative Services Agency,
Indiana Handbook of Taxes, Revenues, and Appropriations, FY 2020.
Fiscal Analyst: Adam White, 317-234-1360.
HB 1341 2