2014 -- S 2562 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC004267/SUB A

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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: Senator Maryellen Goodwin

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     (Health)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 23-24.6-20, 23-24.6-26 and 23-24.6-27 of the General Laws in

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Chapter 23-24.6 entitled "Lead Poisoning Prevention Act" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     23-24.6-20. Licensure or certification of environmental lead inspectors and lead

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contractors, supervisors, and workers Licensure of environmental lead inspectors and lead

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contractors, supervisors, and workers. -- (a) The department shall provide for the certification

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of training programs for environmental lead inspectors and for lead contractors, supervisors,

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workers, and other persons engaged in environmental lead hazard reduction pursuant to the

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provisions of this chapter. The department shall establish standards and specifications for training

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courses including, at a minimum, the required length of different training programs, mandatory

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topics of instruction, and required qualifications for training programs and instructors. Hands on

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instruction shall be a component of the required training.

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      (b) The department shall establish procedures and issue regulations requiring the

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certification licensure of environmental lead inspectors and the licensure or certification, as

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appropriate, of all lead contractors, supervisors, workers, and other persons engaged in

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environmental lead inspection and/or hazard reduction pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

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These regulations:

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      (1) Shall prescribe the requirements for licensure and certification and the conditions and

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restrictions governing the renewal, revocation, and suspension of licenses and certificates;.

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rRequirements for licensure and for renewal of licensure shall include, but not be limited to, the

 

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following:

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      (i) Compliance with the lead hazard reduction regulations in section §23-24.6-17; and

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      (ii) Required training of environmental lead inspectors and of lead contractors,

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supervisors, workers, and other persons engaged in environmental lead hazard reduction in

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subjects including, but not limited to, safe work practices, instruction in health risks,

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precautionary measures, protective equipment, and other practices, including practices to prevent

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contamination of the residential premises, ambient discharges and ground contamination,

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respiratory protection, new lead hazard reduction techniques and technologies, applicable federal

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and state regulation, and hands on instruction for equipment and techniques to be used; a

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minimum of twenty (20) hours of training shall be required as a condition of licensure for

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workers; additional hours of training shall be required for supervisors and contractors; annual a

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refresher training course shall also be required;

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      (2) May provide for Rhode Island to reciprocally certify and/or license persons certified

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and/or licensed by other states with comparable requirements.

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      (c) No person shall enter into, engage in, or conduct comprehensive environmental lead

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inspections or environmental lead hazard reduction activities covered by department regulations

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once those regulations have been promulgated as specified in section 23-24.6-12 without having

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successfully completed a certified training program and without having been certified or licensed,

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as appropriate, by the department. Each trained and certified or licensed person shall be issued a

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photo identity card.

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      (d) The department shall, in conjunction with the housing resources commission,

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develop and periodically update lists of all licensed and certified inspectors, contractors,

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supervisors, workers', and other persons who perform environmental lead hazard reduction in

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Rhode Island and make those lists available to interested parties and the public.

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      (e)(1) The department shall enforce the provisions of this section as appropriate and shall

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have all necessary powers for enforcement.

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      (2) The department may revoke, suspend, cancel, or deny any certification or any

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license, at any time, in accordance with chapter 35 of title 42 if it believes that the terms or

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conditions of these are being violated, or that the holder of, or applicant for, the certification or

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license has violated any regulation of the department or any other state law or regulation. Any

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person aggrieved by a determination by the department to issue, deny, revoke, or suspend any

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certification or license may request an adjudicatory hearing.

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      (3) When any person violates the terms or conditions of any certification or license

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issued under this section or any state law or regulation, the director shall have the power by

 

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written notice to order the violator to cease and desist immediately. The department may file a

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written complaint with the district court in the jurisdiction in which the violation occurred.

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Punishment by an administrative fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) under this

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section pursuant to § 23-24.6-27 may be in addition to the suspension of any license or

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certification.

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      (4) Any state inspector may issue an immediate cease work order to any person who

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violates the terms or conditions of any license or certification issued under this section or any

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provision of this chapter, or any regulation or order issued under this chapter, if the violation will

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endanger or materially impair the health or well-being of any occupant, any environmental lead

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inspector, or any contractor, supervisor, worker, or other person engaged in environmental lead

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hazard reduction.

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      (f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the department of

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health, the department of labor and training, or the department of environmental management

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under the provisions of any other law.

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     23-24.6-26. Rules and regulations. -- The director is authorized to adopt, modify, or

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repeal and promulgate rules and regulations as are in accord with the purposes of sections §§23-

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24.6-1 -- 23-24.6-27, and shall be subject to the Administrative Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title

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42. All rules and regulations promulgated by the director shall provide for the use of "lead safe"

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reduction as the preferred method where possible to meet the requirements of this chapter. The

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rules shall provide for notification, pursuant to the provisions of section §23-24.6-12, to

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occupants of a premise, of lead hazards following a comprehensive environmental lead inspection

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at the premises when there is a reasonable likelihood that given the age, type, and condition of the

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premises that significant lead hazards are present in other dwelling units. The rules shall also

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specify the required frequency for all refresher training courses.

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     23-24.6-27. Administrative fines. -- (a) In addition to any other enforcement authority

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granted under this chapter, whenever on the basis of any information, the department determines

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that a person has violated, or is in violation of section §23-24.6-12, 23-24.6-13, 23-24.6-14 or 23-

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24.6-15 regarding inspections, section §23-24.6-17 regarding lead hazard reduction, or section

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§23-24.6-20 regarding licensure or certification, any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to

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any of these sections, or any orders issued under any of these sections, rules, or regulations, the

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director may issue an order civilly fining the person one hundred dollars ($100) an amount not to

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exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day for any each current or past violation, requiring

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compliance immediately or within a specified time period, or both. Each day of continued

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violation may be considered a separate violation. Each violation in any premises may be

 

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considered a separate violation.

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     (b) In addition to any other enforcement authority granted under this chapter, whenever

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on the basis of any information, the department determines that a person has violated, or is in

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violation of, § 23-24.6-15 regarding inspections, any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to

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that section, or any orders issued under that section's rules or regulations, the director may issue

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an order civilly fining the person one hundred dollars ($100) per day for any current or past

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violation, requiring compliance immediately or within a specified time period, or both. Each day

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of continued violation may be considered a separate violation. Each violation in any premises

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may be considered a separate violation.

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     (b)(c) Within thirty (30) days after any order issued pursuant to this section is served, the

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order shall become final unless the person or persons named in the order request a hearing. Upon

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that request, the director shall conduct a hearing as soon as reasonably possible.

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      (c)(d) In connection with any proceeding under this section, the director may issue

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subpoenas for attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of papers, books,

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documents, and other materials.

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      (d)(e) If any person liable to pay any civil fine neglects or refuses to pay after demand,

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the amount together with interest and any other costs that may accrue, shall be a lien in favor of

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the state upon only the real property of the person which that is subject to the order only after the

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lien has been entered and recorded in the city/town in which the property is situated.

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      (e)(f) In determining the amount of any civil fine pursuant to this section, the director

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shall consider the willfulness of the violation,; the circumstances and severity of the violation; the

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ability of the violator to comply,; damage or injury to public health and welfare including

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elevated blood levels of impacted children, environmental damage to the premises and

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neighborhood, possible economic benefits realized by the violator,; the costs incurred by the

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state,; and any other relevant factors.

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      (f)(g) The director shall issue regulations to implement this section. At a minimum, the

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regulations shall set forth how long after receiving any order from the director or any other notice

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of a violation a person has to comply with the law before civil fines will be assessed, the

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circumstances in which no grace period will apply, the circumstances in which any grace period

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may be extended, and the procedure and times frames to request an extension. The regulations

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shall also include a penalty matrix to be used as a guide in the calculation of a fine levied

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pursuant to this section.

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      (g)(h) Any fines levied pursuant to this section shall be done in lieu of any civil penalties

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issued pursuant to section §45-24.3-18(a), and no housing authority shall issue any civil penalty

 

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for the same violation.

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     SECTION 2. 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 amend The Lead Poisoning Prevention Act to provide for a longer

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licensing period, making the licensing process less labor intensive by eliminating the requirement

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for annual refresher courses. The act would clarify language used to distinguish licensure and

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certification. The act would also establish a penalty or fining authority in line with E.P.A.

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requirements for the program to acquire delegation of authority. This act would provide for

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administrative penalties of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day for violations.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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