“Lead paint poisoning remains one the most dangerous - yet preventable - public health hazards for our children. It is time we take action to reduce the incidence of lead paint poisoning in children, and this legislation will do just that do just that,” Gov. Lynch said. “I look forward to signing this important public health initiative into law.”

Last fall, Gov. Lynch established a Lead Poisoning Task Force to make recommendations on how to reduce childhood lead poisoning in New Hampshire. The bill, SB 176, adopts the recommendations of the Task Force. Under the provisions of the bill, if one child is found with lead poisoning, the Department of Health and Human Services would be allowed to inspect all units in that building. Inspections would be triggered when the damage to children’s health begins, at 10 micrograms per deciliter - just as the Centers for Disease Control recommends. Current law sets that threshold at 20 micrograms per deciliter.

The bill’s sponsors are Sens. Betsi DeVries, Lou D’Allesandro, Peter Burling, Jackie Cilley, Iris Estabrook, Joe Foster, Martha Fuller Clark, Maggie Hassan, Harold Janeway, Molly Kelly, Bob Odell, Kathy Sgambati, Jack Barnes and Sheila Roberge; and Reps. James MacKay, Cindy Rosenwald, Sharon Nordgren, Tom Donovan, and James Pilliod.