HB4223eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4223 Engrossed LRB096 09709 NHT 19872 b

AN ACT concerning radon.

WHEREAS, The Surgeon General of the United States issued a Health Advisory in 2005 warning Americans about the health risk from exposure to radon in indoor air; and

WHEREAS, Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and breathing it over prolonged periods can present a significant health risk to families all over the country; and

WHEREAS, The nation's chief physician urged Americans to test their homes to find out how much radon they might be breathing; and

WHEREAS, The United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Academy of Sciences, and the Surgeon General estimate that 21,000 radon-related lung cancer deaths occur annually in the United States, as many as 1,100 of those in this State; and

WHEREAS, Results of 96,000 home measurements conducted by professional contractors and homeowners between 2003 and 2008 submitted to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency show that 40% of homes tested in this State had radon levels above the 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) action level; therefore

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

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 10-20.46 and 34-18.37 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.46 new)

Sec. 10-20.46. Radon testing.

(a) It is recommended that every occupied school building of a school district be tested every 5 years for radon pursuant to rules established by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA).

(b) It is recommended that new schools of a school district be built using radon resistant new construction techniques, as shown in the United States Environmental Protection Agency document, Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings.

(c) Each school district may maintain, make available for review, and notify parents and faculty of test results under this Section. The district shall report radon test results to the State Board of Education, which shall prepare a report every 2 years of the results from all schools that have performed tests, to be submitted to the General Assembly and the Governor.

(d) If IEMA exempts an individual from being required to be a licensed radon professional, the individual does not need to be a licensed radon professional in order to perform screening tests under this Section. A school district may elect to have one or more employees from the district attend an IEMA-approved, Internet-based training course on school testing in order to receive an exemption to conduct testing in that school district. These school district employees must perform the measurements in accordance with procedures approved by IEMA. If an exemption from IEMA is not received, the school district must use a licensed radon professional to conduct measurements.

(e) If the results of a radon screening test under this Section are found to be 4.0 pCi/L or above, the school district may hire a licensed radon professional to perform measurements before any mitigation decisions are made. If radon levels of 4.0 pCi/L or above are found, it is recommended that affected areas be mitigated by a licensed radon mitigation professional with respect to both design and installation. IEMA may provide the school district with a list of licensed radon mitigation professionals.

(f) A screening test under this Section may be done with a test kit found in a hardware store, department store, or home improvement store or with a kit ordered through the mail or over the Internet. However, the kit must be provided by a laboratory licensed in accordance with the Radon Industry Licensing Act.

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.37 new)

Sec. 34-18.37. Radon testing.

(a) It is recommended that every occupied school building of the school district be tested every 5 years for radon pursuant to rules established by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA).

(b) It is recommended that new schools of the school district be built using radon resistant new construction techniques, as shown in the United States Environmental Protection Agency document, Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings.

(c) The school district may maintain, make available for review, and notify parents and faculty of test results under this Section. The district shall report radon test results to the State Board of Education, which shall prepare a report every 2 years of the results from all schools that have performed tests, to be submitted to the General Assembly and the Governor.

(d) If IEMA exempts an individual from being required to be a licensed radon professional, the individual does not need to be a licensed radon professional in order to perform screening tests under this Section. The school district may elect to have one or more employees from the district attend an IEMA-approved, Internet-based training course on school testing in order to receive an exemption to conduct testing in the school district. These school district employees must perform the measurements in accordance with procedures approved by IEMA. If an exemption from IEMA is not received, the school district must use a licensed radon professional to conduct measurements.

(e) If the results of a radon screening test under this Section are found to be 4.0 pCi/L or above, the school district may hire a licensed radon professional to perform measurements before any mitigation decisions are made. If radon levels of 4.0 pCi/L or above are found, it is recommended that affected areas be mitigated by a licensed radon mitigation professional with respect to both design and installation. IEMA may provide the school district with a list of licensed radon mitigation professionals.

(f) A screening test under this Section may be done with a test kit found in a hardware store, department store, or home improvement store or with a kit ordered through the mail or over the Internet. However, the kit must be provided by a laboratory licensed in accordance with the Radon Industry Licensing Act.