MADISO, WI (WRN) – A package of bills being introduced at the Capitol could help with efforts to quickly identify cases of lead poisoning in children.
State Representative Chris Taylor of Madison is introducing four bills, which she says will help local health officials spot contamination early and react quickly.
“We obviously all want kids to be safe. We want them to have the best opportunities to lead healthy lives. We have to get very serious about mitigating and ultimately removing lead”
The bills calls for updating testing standards that trigger investigations and requiring facilities where young children are cared for to test for lead.
“They include reduced intelligence, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, developmental delays”
Taylor says that means….
“For children the effects of lead are severe and they’re permanent. And that’s really why we have to take very swift and aggressive action”
The package also includes tax credits for replacing lead-contaminated windows and service lines, and having the state apply for federal remediation funding.
