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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 3, 2020 02:21 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Karen Boback |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Lead Contamination in Drinking Water in School Buildings |
| I plan to re-introduce legislation (HB 930) to address lead contamination in drinking water in Pennsylvania schools. All of us are aware of the tragic situation that occurred in Flint Michigan regarding lead contamination in drinking water. This tragedy served as a wake-up call: a problem many Pennsylvanians thought had been solved for decades, lead in our drinking water, remains a threat. Few places have been in the national spotlight on this issue as much as Pennsylvania, with our aging infrastructure making us particularly vulnerable. Lead in drinking water is being found in rural, urban and suburban school buildings across the Commonwealth. In fact, a 2012-2015 survey of federal data found that Pennsylvania had the highest number of schools with elevated levels of lead in their drinking water. I am seeking to introduce legislation that would require public schools and non-public schools to test all outlets used for cooking and drinking annually for lead, and to ensure that said water is safe to consume. The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center came out with a report that gave our Commonwealth a grade of F, pertaining to the amount of lead in school drinking water. This report provides further urgency regarding this important undertaking. Article 27 of the Pennsylvania constitution states, "The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment." I believe strongly that such legislation is necessary to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our children, and that it is the responsibility of the Commonwealth to provide for a safe environment in our schools. I hope you will join me in sponsoring this important legislation. Previous cosponsors: RAVENSTAHL, A. DAVIS, SOLOMON, ULLMAN, BERNSTINE, KULIK, KINSEY, McNEILL, JAMES, NEILSON, MURT, INNAMORATO, FREEMAN, MILLARD, WARREN, OTTEN, SAYLOR, BROWN, DeLUCA, THOMAS, WHEELAND, RYAN, SCHWEYER, CIRESI, DAVIDSON, KIM, SAPPEY, HENNESSEY, EVERETT, MACKENZIE, DiGIROLAMO, GILLEN, TOEPEL, DIAMOND, QUINN, SCHLEGEL CULVER, STRUZZI, STEPHENS, NELSON, WEBSTER, COOK, MADDEN, HANBIDGE, FITZGERALD, KORTZ, TOOHIL, ISAACSON, PASHINSKI, HARKINS, ROEBUCK AND DeLISSIO |
Introduced as HB465