HB 1790 - DIGEST

Declares that, to promote the elimination of childhood lead poisoning, it is the purpose of this act to: (1) Substantially reduce, and eventually eliminate, the incidence of childhood lead poisoning;

(2) Increase the supply of affordable rental housing in which measures have been taken to reduce substantially the risk of childhood lead poisoning;

(3) Make enforcement of lead hazard control standards more certain and more effective;

(4) Improve public awareness of lead safety issues and educate both property owners and tenants about practices that can reduce the incidence of lead poisoning;

(5) Provide protection from potentially ruinous tort actions for those landlords who undertake specified lead hazard reduction measures;

(6) Assure the availability and affordability of liability insurance protection to those landlords and other owners who undertake specified lead hazard reduction measures;

(7) Mandate the testing of children likely to suffer the consequences of lead poisoning so that prompt diagnosis and treatment, as well as the prevention of harm, are possible;

(8) Provide a mechanism to facilitate prompt payment of medical and rehabilitation expenses and relocation costs for those remaining individuals who are affected by childhood lead poisoning; and

(9) Define the scope of authority of state agencies and departments for lead hazard control, mitigation, education, and insurance availability, and to provide for the coordination of these efforts.