Rep. Emily McAsey
Filed: 3/2/2012
 
 

 

 

 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4665




2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4665 by replacing 
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:

 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Radon 
5Ventilation  Construction Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings. Radon is a radioactive element that is 
7part of the radioactive decay chain of naturally occurring 
8uranium in soil. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer 
9among non-smokers and the number one risk in homes according to 
10the Harvard School of Public Health, Center for Risk Analysis.  
11The 2008-2009 Annual Report from the President's Cancer Panel 
12stated: "Comparative risk assessments by the Environmental 
13Protection Agency and its Science Advisory Board have 
14consistently ranked radon among the top 4 environmental risks 
15to the public.".  The World Health Organization's Handbook on 
16Radon Key Messages include: "There is no known threshold 
 
 
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1concentration below which radon exposure presents no risk.  The 
2majority of radon-induced lung cancers are caused by low and 
3moderate radon concentrations rather than by high radon 
4concentrations, because in general less people are exposed to 
5high indoor radon concentrations.".  The Surgeon General of the 
6United States urged Americans to test their homes to find out 
7how much radon they might be breathing.  The United States 
8Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 
920,000 Americans die of radon-related lung cancer each year.
 
10    Section 10. Primary responsibility with Illinois Emergency 
11Management Agency.  The Illinois Emergency Management Agency 
12shall have primary responsibility for coordination, oversight, 
13and implementation of all State functions in matters concerning 
14the presence, effects, measurement, and mitigation of risks of 
15radon and radon progeny in dwellings and other buildings. The 
16Department of Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection 
17Agency, the Department of Public Health, and other State 
18agencies shall consult and cooperate with the Agency as 
19requested and as necessary to fulfill the purposes of this Act.
 
20    Section 15. Definitions.  As used in this Act, unless the 
21context requires otherwise:
22    "Agency" means the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

23    "Director" means the Director of the Illinois Emergency 
24Management Agency.

 
 
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1    "New residential construction" means any original 
2construction of a single-family home or a dwelling containing 2 
3or fewer living units.

4    "Passive radon ventilation" means an installation of 
5piping extending from the sub-grade granular fill, isolated by 
6code required vapor barrier below the concrete floor to an exit 
7above the roof line, allowing for passive ventilation of radon.
8    "Radon" means a gaseous radioactive decay product of 
9uranium or thorium.

10    "Radon contractor" means a person licensed in accordance 
11with the Radon Industry Licensing Act to perform radon or radon 
12progeny mitigation or to perform measurements of radon or radon 
13progeny in an indoor atmosphere.

14    "Radon ventilation construction" means the installation of 
15passive radon ventilation during new residential construction.

16    "Residential building code" means an ordinance, 
17resolution, or law that establishes construction standards 
18applicable to new residential construction.

19    "Residential building contractor" means any individual, 
20corporation, or partnership that constructs new residential 
21construction.

22    "Task Force on Radon-Resistant Building Codes" means the 
23Task Force on Radon-Resistant Building Codes as authorized by 
24the Radon Industry Licensing Act.

 
25    Section 20. Adoption of passive radon ventilation. All new 
 
 
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1residential construction in this State shall include passive 
2radon ventilation.
 
3    Section 25. Installation of passive radon ventilation. The 
4installation of passive radon ventilation may be performed by a 
5residential building contractor or  a radon contractor during 
6new residential construction.
 
7    Section 30. Local administration and enforcement. A local 
8governmental unit that has adopted any ordinance, resolution, 
9or law regulating radon ventilation construction may provide 
10for its administration and enforcement.


 

11    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect June 1, 
122013.".