Washington bill curbing lead in school drinking water heads for Inslee's signature
Washington’s public schools soon will be required to take new steps to curb children’s exposure to lead after passage of a bill that mandates schools fix or replace fixtures that leach the toxin into water sources. The bill exempts private schools from the requirement.
House Bill 1139, which cleared a final hurdle in the state Senate on a 48-0 vote on Sunday, is designed to address gaps in school-safety requirements. Until now, the state has not mandated schools test or keep records on lead levels, although some do voluntarily. The House approved the measure on a 94-4 vote on March 4. It now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk.
“It is actually a model for the nation, this bill,” said state Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle, who sponsored the bill. “So I feel quite good about it.”
The policy is a long time coming. This legislative session marks the third year in a row that Pollet has introduced a version of the bill. And its passage Sunday afternoon came just a few hours before the legislature’s cutoff to pass bills this session.
Read more: https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/washington-bill-curbing-lead-in-school-drinking-water-heads-for-inslees-signature/
