This bill mandates that all buildings used by public schools, private schools, and institutions of higher education in New Jersey undergo testing for radon gas or radon progeny at least once every five years. If a building has been tested within the five years prior to the bill's effective date, it must be retested within five years of that previous test. Conversely, if a building has not been tested in that timeframe, it must be tested within 60 days of the bill's effective date and subsequently every five years. The bill also outlines that the Commissioner of Education or the Commissioner of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, will determine the extent of testing required.

Additionally, the bill repeals Section 3 of P.L.2000, c.122 (C.18A:20-40), which previously mandated radon testing in public school buildings but was considered an expired unfunded mandate. The new requirements aim to ensure that both government and non-government entities are subject to the same testing standards, thereby avoiding the unfunded mandate issue. The responsibility for identifying buildings to be tested, the specific locations within those buildings, the testing methods, and the notification procedures for results will fall to the relevant school district superintendents, charter school boards, private school administrators, and higher education institution administrators, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:20-40