HB4665ham001 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Emily McAsey

Filed: 3/2/2012

09700HB4665ham001 LRB097 19079 JLS 66990 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4665

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

"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Radon Ventilation Construction Act.

Section 5. Findings. Radon is a radioactive element that is part of the radioactive decay chain of naturally occurring uranium in soil. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the number one risk in homes according to the Harvard School of Public Health, Center for Risk Analysis. The 2008-2009 Annual Report from the President's Cancer Panel stated: "Comparative risk assessments by the Environmental Protection Agency and its Science Advisory Board have consistently ranked radon among the top 4 environmental risks to the public.". The World Health Organization's Handbook on Radon Key Messages include: "There is no known threshold concentration below which radon exposure presents no risk. The majority of radon-induced lung cancers are caused by low and moderate radon concentrations rather than by high radon concentrations, because in general less people are exposed to high indoor radon concentrations.". The Surgeon General of the United States urged Americans to test their homes to find out how much radon they might be breathing. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 20,000 Americans die of radon-related lung cancer each year.

Section 10. Primary responsibility with Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency shall have primary responsibility for coordination, oversight, and implementation of all State functions in matters concerning the presence, effects, measurement, and mitigation of risks of radon and radon progeny in dwellings and other buildings. The Department of Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Public Health, and other State agencies shall consult and cooperate with the Agency as requested and as necessary to fulfill the purposes of this Act.

Section 15. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context requires otherwise:

"Agency" means the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

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

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

"Passive radon ventilation" means an installation of piping extending from the sub-grade granular fill, isolated by code required vapor barrier below the concrete floor to an exit above the roof line, allowing for passive ventilation of radon.

"Radon" means a gaseous radioactive decay product of uranium or thorium.

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

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

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

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

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

Section 20. Adoption of passive radon ventilation. All new residential construction in this State shall include passive radon ventilation.

Section 25. Installation of passive radon ventilation. The installation of passive radon ventilation may be performed by a residential building contractor or a radon contractor during new residential construction.

Section 30. Local administration and enforcement. A local governmental unit that has adopted any ordinance, resolution, or law regulating radon ventilation construction may provide for its administration and enforcement.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect June 1, 2013.".