2014 -- H 7803

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LC004671

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - LEAD POISONING PREVENTION ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Handy, Hull, Bennett, Valencia, and Slater

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2014

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 23-24.6-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-24.6 entitled "Lead

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Poisoning Prevention Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     23-24.6-5. Environmental lead program. -- (a) There is established within the

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department of health an environmental lead program which shall be responsible for creating a

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coordinated and comprehensive program for lead poisoning prevention, including screening and

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detection, education, lead hazard reduction, and enforcement. The program shall exercise any and

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all authorities of the department which may be necessary and appropriate, including but not

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limited to promulgating and enforcing regulations, which regulations shall set forth a general

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framework for actions to be taken in response to childhood lead poisoning at different blood lead

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levels.

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      (b) The department shall develop an educational program regarding environmental lead

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exposures and lead poisoning.

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      (c) The department shall promulgate regulations for acceptable environmental lead levels

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in dwellings, where a child under the age of six (6) years with environmental intervention blood

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lead level or greater resides, and in buildings or properties frequently used by children under the

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age of six (6) years, including standards for lead on painted surfaces and surface coatings,

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drinking water, household dusts, and soil.

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     (d) The department shall seek federal funding for the environmental lead program;

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provided, however, that to the extent federal funds are not available or insufficient to fund the

 

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environmental lead program, the state of Rhode Island shall appropriate no less than six hundred

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thousand dollars ($600,000) per fiscal year, commencing with fiscal year 2015 to the department

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of health for the support and maintenance of the environmental lead program.

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     SECTION 2. Section 42-128-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-128 entitled "Rhode

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Island Housing Resources Act of 1998" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-128-8. Powers and duties. -- In order to provide housing opportunities for all Rhode

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Islanders, to maintain the quality of housing in Rhode Island, and to coordinate and make

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effective the housing responsibilities of the agencies and subdivisions of the state, the

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commission shall have the following powers and duties:

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      (1) Policy, planning and coordination of state housing functions. - The commission shall

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have the power and duty:

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      (i) To prepare and adopt the state's plans for housing; provided, however, that this

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provision shall not be interpreted to contravene the prerogative of the state planning council to

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adopt a state guide plan for housing.

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      (ii) To prepare, adopt, and issue the state's housing policy.

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      (iii) To conduct research on and make reports regarding housing issues in the state.

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      (iv) To advise the governor and general assembly on housing issues and to coordinate

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housing activities among government agencies and agencies created by state law or providing

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housing services under government programs.

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      (2) Establish, implement, and monitor state performance measures and guidelines for

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housing programs. - The commission shall have the power and the duty:

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      (i) To promulgate performance measures and guidelines for housing programs conducted

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under state law.

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      (ii) To monitor and evaluate housing responsibilities established by state law, and to

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establish a process for annual reporting on the outcomes of the programs and investments of the

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state in housing for low and moderate income people.

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      (iii) To hear and resolve disputes pertaining to housing issues.

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      (3) Administer the programs pertaining to housing resources that may be assigned by

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state law. - The commission shall have the power and duty to administer programs for housing,

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housing services, and community development, including, but not limited to, programs pertaining

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to:

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      (i) Abandoned properties and the remediation of blighting conditions.

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      (ii) Lead abatement and to manage a lead hazard abatement program in cooperation with

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the Rhode Island housing and mortgage finance corporation. The state shall seek federal funding

 

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to support the cost of the lead hazard abatement program. In addition, the state of Rhode Island

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shall appropriate five hundred ninety thousand dollars ($590,000) per fiscal year commencing

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with fiscal year 2015 to provide a state match required by such federal funding.

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      (iii) Services for the homeless.

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      (iv) Rental assistance.

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      (v) Community development.

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      (vi) Outreach, education and technical assistance services.

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      (vii) Assistance, including financial support, to non-profit organizations and community

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development corporations.

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      (viii) Tax credits that assist in the provision of housing or foster community development

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or that result in support to non-profit organizations performing functions to accomplish the

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purposes of this chapter.

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      (ix) The Supportive Services Program, the purpose of which is to help prevent and end

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homelessness among those who have experienced long-term homelessness and for whom certain

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services in addition to housing are essential. State funding for this program may leverage other

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resources for the purpose of providing supportive services. Services provided pursuant to this

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subsection may include, but not be limited to: assistance with budgeting and paying rent; access

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to employment; encouraging tenant involvement in facility management and policies; medication

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monitoring and management; daily living skills related to food, housekeeping and socialization;

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counseling to support self-identified goals; referrals to mainstream health, mental health and

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treatment programs; and conflict resolution.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - LEAD POISONING PREVENTION ACT

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     This act would provide that in the event of insufficient federal funds for the

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environmental lead program, the General Assembly shall appropriate no less than six hundred

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thousand dollars ($600,000) per year for support and maintenance of the environmental lead

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program, and five hundred ninety thousand dollars ($590,000) per year for the state match for the

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lead hazard abatement program.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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