The JFC last week voted to fund Senate Bill 9 in the One-Time Supplemental Appropriations Bill to better protect Delaware children and families from exposure to lead in homes and schools throughout the First State.
Senate Bill 9, sponsored by Sen. Sarah McBride, would create procedures for state health officials to identify and remediate homes that contain exposed lead paint, establish a state-funding mechanism to cover the cost of those repairs, and initiate a process to screen every residential rental property in Delaware for exposed lead paint. JFC this week allocated more than $2.3 million toward the creation of that comprehensive program in the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.
The bill passed the Senate unanimously on May 16.
| SENATE BILL 9 – Protecting Children and Families from Lead Paint Exposure | Currrent Status -Senate Passed 21-0. House Health & Human Development 5/17/23 |
| House Sponsors – Lambert, Baumbach, Bolden, Griffith, Heffernan, Morrison, Phillips, Wilson-Anton // Smith | Senate Sponsors – McBride, Gay, Hansen,, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Paradee, Pinkney, Poore, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh // Hocker |
| House Yes Votes – | Senate Yes Votes – Brown Gay Hansen Hoffner Huxtable Lockman Mantzavinos McBride Paradee Pinkney Poore Sokola Sturgeon Townsend Walsh // Buckson Hocker Lawson Pettyjohn Richardon Wilson |
| House No Votes – | Senate No Votes – None |
| House Absents or Not Voting – | Senate Absent or Not Voting – None |
JFC also allocated $3.8 million in one-time spending to the Delaware Department of Education to install water filters throughout district and charter schools statewide to remove lead from school drinking water.
“Adding water filters to our schools and creating a comprehensive and ongoing program to remove lead paint from Delaware homes will protect countless families from the risk of serious neurological damage and cognitive harm caused by lead exposure,” said Sen. McBride, chair of the Senate Health & Social Service Committee. “I want to thank Governor Carney and my colleagues on the Joint Finance Committee for not only taking these health concerns seriously, but putting real resources behind our work to solve these issues once and for all.”
SB 9 is awaiting consideration in the House Health & Human Development Committee.
0 comments on “JFC Funds Lead Paint Exposure Bill”