CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING PREVENTION AND CONTROL COMMISSION
House Bill 5118
Sponsor: Rep. Chris Kolb
Committee: Health Policy
Complete to 1-15-04
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5118 AS INTRODUCED 10-2-03
The bill would add a new section to the Public Health Code to require the governor to establish a Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control Commission within the Department of Community Health. The department could instead designate an existing organization or statewide childhood lead poisoning prevention coalition to fulfill the bill’s requirements and act as the commission. The bill’s provisions would be repealed 18 months after the bill’s effective date.
Commission duties. The commission’s duties would be to study the environmental threats of lead poisoning to children’s health; review the state’s lead poisoning prevention program; evaluate the effectiveness of the program, including the ability of the program to satisfy federal law requirements that children enrolled in Medicaid be screened with a blood lead test; and make recommendations for improvements to that program.
The commission would have to develop short- and long-range strategic recommendations for childhood lead poisoning prevention and control in the state. These recommendations would have to include strategies to enhance public and professional awareness of lead poisoning as a child health emergency; significantly increase blood lead testing rates for young children; eliminate or manage the sources of lead poisoning, especially focusing on lead based paint in aged housing; and assure state interagency as well as public and private cooperation and communication regarding resolution of the complex environmental and public health problem of childhood lead poisoning.
A written report of the commission’s findings, including the recommendations detailed above, would have to be presented to the governor and the legislature by January 30, 2004. The commission would have to conduct at least two public hearings, one within 60 days after members had been appointed or designated, to seek input from the general public and from any groups not represented on the commission. All business would be conducted in compliance with the Open Meetings Act and writings prepared, owned, used, etc. by the commission in the performance of an official function would be accessible by the public under the Freedom of Information Act.
Commission membership. Membership would be by gubernatorial appointment and would have to include at least one representative from each of the agencies and organizations listed in the bill. This list includes 34 specific organizations and agencies and could also include
members of any other interested organization or association concerned with the prevention, treatment, and control of lead poisoning that the department determined necessary.
MCL 333.5474a
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.