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Policy
Bill in House of Representatives to Provide Lead-Level
Testing at Playgrounds, Schools, and Parks Text
of PA HB 247
Act Now!
H.B. 247, the Lead-Level Testing Act,
was introduced on February 11, 2003 and referred to the
Committee on Health and Human Services. Under the Act, paint
would be tested at all Pennsylvania playgrounds and parks,
as well as in all elementary and secondary schools, in order
to determine the levels of lead present in these risk areas.
Background Information:
- Young children are at the greatest
risk for ingesting lead because of their tendency to put
objects in their mouths. In fact, the CDC has identified
that approximately 434,000 children aged 1-5 have blood
lead levels higher than what is recommended.
- There are no obvious symptoms of lead
poisoning, yet the effects can include learning disabilities,
behavioral problems, seizures, and even death.
- Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated
dust are the two greatest contributors to lead exposure
among children in the United States.
- The
key to preventing lead poisoning and minimizing its effects
is letting the public know what areas pose the highest
risks for exposure. This information can help to identify
which children need to be tested and to keep other children
away from these areas in the future.
Use the following links
to e-mail members of the Committe on Health and Human Services,
and encourage them to support the Lead-Level Testing Act.
To find your district and representative,
click
here.
When writing to a Representative, please
remember to be brief, to include your name and address,
and to never threaten him/her.
George
Kenney, Jr.--Majority Chairman (R-District
170)
Frank Oliver--Minority
Chairman (D-District 195)
Linda
Bebko-Jones (D-District 1)
Jake Wheatley, Jr.
(D-District 19)
Michael Diven (D-District
22)
Mike Turzai
(R-District 28)
Katie True (R-District
41)
Nick Kotik (D-District
45)
Fred McIllhattan
(R-District 63)
John Fichter
(R-District 70)
Patricia Vance
(R-District 87)
Patrick Fleagle
(R-District 90)
Stephen Maitland
(R-District 91)
Douglas
Reichley (R-District 134)
Mary Ann Dailey
(R-District 146)
Melissa Weber
(R-District 148)
Thaddeus Kirkland
(D-District 159)
Kerry Benninghoff
(R-District 171)
Marie Lederer
(D-District 175)
Julie
Harhart (R-District 183)
Harold
James (D-District 186)
Ronald
Waters (D-District 191)
Louise Bishop
(D-District 192)
Beverly
Mackereth (R-District 196)
William Gabig
(R-District 199)
John
Myers (D-District 201)
For more information about childhood lead poisoning,
view this factsheet
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Updated 10/03/03
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