SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5495

As of February 12, 2003

Title: An act relating to creating the environmental health tracking system.

Brief Description: Establishing an environmental health tracking system.

Sponsors: Senators Keiser, Fraser and Kline.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Health & Long-Term Care: 2/13/03.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE

Staff: Tanya Karwaki (786-7447)

Background: Environmental exposures may increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, thyroid disease, and asthma. There is concern that state health and environmental data bases are not sufficiently coordinating their collection and analysis of data regarding environmental health issues. There is also concern that this information is not readily available to interested parties and researchers.

Summary of Bill: An environmental health tracking system is established in the Department of Health. Its purpose is to monitor environmental exposures and chronic diseases in Washington residents.

The Department of Health is to cooperate with the Department of Ecology, the Department of Labor and Industries, and the University of Washington School of Public Health in establishing the tracking system. By September 1, 2004, the Department of Health, in consultation with these agencies, must create a working group of technical experts. The experts are to develop approaches to implementing the tracking system and to determine the criteria necessary to analyze the relationship between chronic diseases and the environment. By January 2006, the Department of Health must implement one of the approaches recommended by the working group.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 3, 2003.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.