2020 -- S 2530

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LC004990

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS

     

     Introduced By: Senator Gayle L. Goldin

     Date Introduced: February 25, 2020

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 23.8

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AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS

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     23-23.8-1. Air quality in schools.

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     (a) The department of health in conjunction with the department of environmental

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management shall conduct indoor and outdoor air quality tests annually in every school in Rhode

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Island, including public and private schools. The department of health and the department of

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environmental management shall work in conjunction to perform air quality tests to characterize

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the exposure of school occupants to various pollutants that the department of health and/or the

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department of environmental management deem(s) to be harmful based on peer-reviewed scientific

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research.

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     (b) As used in this chapter, “outdoor air quality” means the air quality within a fifty (50)

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yard radius of any school in the state.

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     23-23.8-2. Results of tests.

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     The department of health shall make the air quality test results pursuant to § 23-23.8-1

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easily available online within thirty (30) days of receiving the test results and send the test results

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to the department of education, and the superintendent of the department/district where the school

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is located, or to the school directly.

 

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     23-23.8-3. Compliance.

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     The department of health, department of environmental management, and the department

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of education shall work in conjunction to create and implement a plan to improve the air quality to

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a healthy level determined by the department of health and the department of environmental

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management, and based on peer-reviewed scientific research, in schools that have test results that

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indicate that school occupants are exposed to various pollutants deemed to be harmful in

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accordance with § 23-23.8-1.

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     23-23.8-4. Funding.

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     The department of health, department of environmental management, and the department

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of education shall apply for funding made available by the state, agencies of the federal

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government, and other appropriate funding sources to improve indoor and outdoor air quality. The

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department of health, department of environmental management, and the department of education

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shall administer and direct any funding they receive to improve air quality to a healthy level as

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described in § 23-23.8-3.

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     23-23.8-5. Implementation.

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     The department of health in conjunction with the department of environmental

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management and the department of education shall promulgate rules and regulations in accordance

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with this chapter.

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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 -- AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS

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     This act would require the department of health, in conjunction with the department of

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environmental management, to conduct indoor and outdoor air quality tests in all public and private

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schools throughout the state, on an annual basis.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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