HB4732 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 17906 BDA 33942 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4732

Introduced , by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Lead-Safe Water for Families Act. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall establish and administer a program to provide lead-reducing water filters at no cost to Medicaid-eligible households with children or expectant mothers. Requires outreach, application procedures, and rulemaking. Requires annual reporting to the General Assembly. Declares findings and states the purpose of the Act. Defines terms.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning health.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Lead-Safe Water for Families Act.

Section 5. Findings and purpose.

(a) The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Lead exposure poses serious health risks, especially to children and pregnant women, including developmental delays, learning difficulties, behavioral problems, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

(2) Lead can leach into drinking water from lead service lines, plumbing fixtures, and solder in older homes.

(3) Low-income families are disproportionately affected by lead exposure due to older housing stock and limited resources to address contamination.

(4) Point-of-use water filters certified to remove lead provide an effective interim protection measure while comprehensive infrastructure improvements are underway.

(b) The purpose of this Act is to provide free lead-reducing water filters to Medicaid-eligible households with children or expectant mothers to protect these vulnerable populations from lead exposure through drinking water.

Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Department" means the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

"Eligible household" means a household that:

(1) includes at least one child under 18 years of age or an expectant mother; and

(2) includes at least one individual enrolled in medical assistance under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

"Expectant mother" means a woman who is pregnant.

"Lead-reducing water filter" means a point-of-use drinking water filter or filtration system that is certified by NSF International or another nationally recognized testing organization to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction or an equivalent standard.

Section 15. Lead-reducing water filter program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall establish and administer a program to provide lead-reducing water filters at no cost to eligible households.

(b) The program shall provide:

(1) one lead-reducing water filter system per eligible household; and

(2) replacement filters as needed for a period of at least 2 years from initial installation, or as recommended by the manufacturer for effective lead reduction.

(c) The Department may contract with one or more qualified vendors to:

(1) procure lead-reducing water filters meeting the requirements of this Act;

(2) distribute filters to eligible households;

(3) provide installation assistance or instructions; and

(4) provide replacement filters to participating households.

(d) The Department shall conduct outreach to inform eligible households about the availability of lead-reducing water filters under this program through:

(1) direct mailings to Medicaid enrollees;

(2) coordination with managed care organizations;

(3) partnerships with local health departments, community organizations, and healthcare providers; and

(4) publication of program information on the Department's website.

(e) The Department shall establish a simple application and distribution process that minimizes administrative burden on eligible households.

Section 20. Rulemaking. The Department shall adopt rules necessary to implement this Act, including, but not limited to, application procedures, verification of eligibility, filter specifications and certification requirements, distribution methods, replacement filter provisions, and reporting requirements for contracted vendors.

Section 25. Reporting. No later than January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the Department shall submit a report to the General Assembly that includes the number of eligible households served, the geographic distribution of participating households, the number of filters and replacement cartridges distributed, program costs, and any recommendations for program improvements or expansion.