HB 222 – Increasing Testing to prevent Childhood Lead Poisioning

Representative Larry Lambert got his first bill passed last week, and it was House Bill 222, which passed the House unanimously, 39-0-2. The bill has bipartisan sponsorship as it heads to the Senate for consideration. The bill addresses low blood lead level screening and testing rates in Delaware. This bill simplifies the requirements and process for health-care providers and eliminates confusion that may be causing the low compliance rate for screening or testing.

Specifically, House Bill 22 defines “screening” and “testing” for clarity and mandates screening, defined as a capillary blood test, at or around 12 and 24 months of age. Further, the bill requires insurance reimbursement of the test, and directs the Division of Public Health to report on elevated blood lead levels to the General Assembly annually and to develop regulations to implement and enforce the Act within 12 months of being enacted.

Representative Lambert: “HB 222 will help to decrease the amount of children diagnosed with lead poisoning, by providing preventative screening and testing measures. I am so proud to have worked on this with Sen. Stephanie Hansen. With this bill, I know that we can improve the health of many children.”

House Bill 222 Sponsors	Yes Votes	No Votes
Lambert, Matthews, Baumbach, Bentz, Bolden, Brady, Chukwuocha, Dorsey Walker, Heffernan, K.Johnson, Kowalko, Lynn, Minor-Brown, Mitchell.S.Moore, K.Williams, Wilson-Anton, Collins, Ramone, M.Smith	House Passed 39-0-2. Baumbach Bennett Bentz Bolden Brady Bush Carson Chukwuocha Cooke Dorsey-Walker Griffith Heffernan K.Johnson K.Williams Kowalko Lambert Longhurst Minor-Brown Mitchell Morrison Osienski S.Moore Schwartzkopf Wilson-Anton  Briggs King Collins D.Short Dukes Gray Hensley M.Smith Morris Postles Ramone Shupe Smyk Spiegelman Vanderwende Yearick	Lynn, Matthews (both absent)
Hansen, Brown, S.McBride, Poore, Gay, Pinkney, Sokola, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson
Current Status:	Senate Health & Social Services 6/17/21