Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs bipartisan legislation to protect children from lead poisoning
(CBS DETROIT) - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan legislation to protect young children throughout the state by guaranteeing screening for lead poisoning.
The bills ensure that all children at 12 and 24 months are tested for lead poisoning. Parents will be able to opt out.
"Keeping Michiganders safe and healthy is a top priority, and today's bipartisan bills will build on our efforts to protect children from lead poisoning," said Whitmer. "In Michigan, we know the importance of safe drinking water and the devastating, long-lasting impacts of lead exposure. With our historic investments in water infrastructure over the last five years, our work to replace tens of thousands of lead service lines, and today's bills to test children for lead exposure, we will protect our water and our children. Together, we will make Michigan a safer, healthier state to grow up."
Bills signed to guarantee lead screening for young children
Here are the bipartisan bills Whitmer signed:
- Senate Bill 31 - Sen. John Cherry, D-Flint, sponsored this bill. It requires a physician treating a minor to test or order a lead poisoning test at a young age.
"Lead poisoning poses a serious health risk to kids not only in Flint, but across Michigan," said Cherry. "To protect the health of our children, families and communities we must take the necessary steps to address this pressing issue on multiple fronts, including during regular healthcare checkups. This legislation, which ensures access to lead testing for all children, regardless of their insurance coverage, will help parents identify early on if their children have been exposed to lead. This way, they can ensure their kids receive the treatment they need to live a happy, healthy and full life."
- House Bill 4200 - Rep. Helena Scott, D-Detroit, sponsored this bill. This will update the immunization certificate to have a space that indicates if a child has been tested for lead poisoning. This area will be included effective Jan. 1, 2024.
"The signing of this bill is a tangible commitment to regularly screen children for lead exposure at varied intervals in partnership and under the auspices of the Department of Health and Human Services," said Scott. "As we work to get the lead out of our infrastructure, I see this lead screening bill as an important tool that will enable us to act quickly in cases of lead exposure, and ultimately, we can better protect the health and well-being of our young children."
No amount of lead in a person's blood is safe, so early detection will help with intervention. Lead poisoning can stem from a variety of sources, including lead in drinking water, exposure to lead-based paint chips and dust and soil with high levels of lead.
This comes after Whitmer invested $600 million in this year's budget to protect drinking water, replace lead service lines and more.