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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, School District U-46 (Elgin) conducted routine | ||||||
3 | water sampling and found abnormally high levels of
Legionella; | ||||||
4 | and
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5 | WHEREAS, The school district closed its facilities in an | ||||||
6 | effort to protect school children; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Legionella is a bacteria that is found naturally | ||||||
8 | in the environment, usually in warm water; and | ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, In situations where environmental factors are | ||||||
10 | favorable to the growth of Legionella in large
numbers and the | ||||||
11 | bacteria is aerosolized, human illness can occur; and | ||||||
12 | WHEREAS, Legionnaires' disease is transmitted by the | ||||||
13 | inhalation of a mist or vapor that has been
contaminated with | ||||||
14 | Legionella bacteria; and | ||||||
15 | WHEREAS, The most vulnerable population for contracting | ||||||
16 | Legionnaires' disease is individuals 49 or
older, smokers, and | ||||||
17 | people with chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems; | ||||||
18 | and | ||||||
19 | WHEREAS, Legionnaires' disease is not transmitted person |
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1 | to person; and
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2 | WHEREAS, The United States Centers for Disease Control and | ||||||
3 | Prevention recommends, when Legionella is identified, to
treat | ||||||
4 | the water; and
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5 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Public Health has | ||||||
6 | encouraged school districts, prior to testing for
Legionella, | ||||||
7 | to implement and develop plans for the testing if a positive | ||||||
8 | result were to occur; and
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9 | WHEREAS, School districts are following the testing | ||||||
10 | recommendations as outlined by the
American Society of Heating, | ||||||
11 | Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Standards; | ||||||
12 | therefore, be it
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13 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
14 | HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | ||||||
15 | encourage the Illinois State Board of Education and the | ||||||
16 | Illinois Department of Public Health to work in collaboration | ||||||
17 | with school districts to develop and implement plans for the | ||||||
18 | testing of Legionella; and be it further | ||||||
19 | RESOLVED, The Illinois State Board of Education and the | ||||||
20 | Illinois Department of Public Health update the
General | ||||||
21 | Assembly with a report on their progress by December 31, 2016; |
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1 | and be it further
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2 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
3 | provided to the State Superintendent of Education and
Director | ||||||
4 | of Public Health.
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