BILL REQ. #:  H-0243.1 

Read first time 01/19/09.   Referred to Committee on Environmental Health.

     AN ACT Relating to screening for elevated levels of lead in children under six years old in Washington; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that:
     (1) Lead is harmful to individuals of all ages and that young children and babies are the most vulnerable to lead poisoning.
     (2) In addition to the potential for exposure to lead from paint chips, contaminated soil and water, traditional remedies, and other pathways, a number of consumer products, including toys and candy, also have the potential to expose children and adults to lead. For many of these products, the presence of lead is not easily identified.
     (3) Long-term exposure to even low levels of lead may cause irreversible learning difficulties, mental retardation, and delayed neurological and physical development. Most children and adults who have lead poisoning appear to be healthy with no obvious or distinctive symptoms.
     (4) Screening for lead in children will help identify children that have been exposed and precipitate action to limit further exposure.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The department of health shall, as part of its ongoing childhood lead poisoning prevention efforts, facilitate the screening and identification of children under six years old that have elevated levels of lead in their bloodstream. This must include:
     (1) Identifying factors that are effective at predicting asymptomatic populations of children that are at risk for elevated blood lead levels; and
     (2) Refining, on an ongoing basis, the factors identified to increase their effectiveness in finding children at risk for elevated blood lead levels.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   By January 1, 2010, the department of health shall develop and begin implementation of a two-year pilot program for screening children at risk for elevated blood lead levels. The department of health shall:
     (1) Purchase state-of-the-art testing equipment for screening children at risk. The equipment must be evaluated for purchase taking into account cost-effectiveness, efficiency of use, dependability, service life, ease of training in its use, and portability. The testing equipment must satisfy the following criteria:
     (a) Use of the testing equipment must qualify for reimbursement by federal medicaid as a blood lead level test under the American medical association current procedural terminology code 83655;
     (b) Requirements under the federal clinical laboratory improvement amendments of 1988 must have been waived for use of the testing equipment;
     (c) The testing equipment must be able to provide accurate blood lead level results at the time of testing; and
     (d) The testing equipment must be able to provide blood lead level results without requiring a venous blood draw;
     (2) Distribute purchased testing equipment on loan to public health clinics, community health centers, school districts, federal women, infants, and children program clinics, and early childhood education programs that have access to a health care professional that is able to conduct testing. Distribution of the testing equipment must be targeted to areas of the state that have higher cumulative risk factors for elevated blood lead levels in children; and
     (3) Train personnel on location in the use of the testing equipment.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   All testing data collected under the pilot program created in this act must be included within the department of health's blood lead registry and reported to the United States centers for disease control and prevention.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   The department of health shall attempt to recover costs for lead screening under this pilot program through federal medicaid, federal grants, and nongovernmental sources.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   Any blood lead level testing must be on a strictly voluntary basis for the individual tested. For children under six years old, the decision to be voluntarily tested must be made by the child's parent or legal guardian.