Model State Law: Lead Poisoning Prevention Act.

• Author: Farquhar, Doug

The Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning and its associates have undertaken an effort to inform the public and policymakers about the hazards of lead. The two most recent products--A Framework for Action to Make Private Housing Lead-Safe and Model State Law: Lead Poisoning Prevention Act--detail proposals and advocate legislation that could "eliminate the epidemic of childhood lead poisoning."

Model State Law advocates prevention. Lead poisoning, it notes, is the foremost preventable disease of children, and a solid statutory framework can prevent further contamination. The rationale for such legislation includes the permanent harm lead causes to children, a need to control litigation, and the importance of providing property owners, insurance companies and lenders with ways to prevent poisoning at a reasonable cost.

Framework discusses the problems with imposing requirements on private housing and integrating lead policies into mortgages, homeowners' insurance and appraisal policies. It seeks to remediate lead hazards in an unregulated community: private residences. These undertakings, however, require a strong, active state role to succeed.

Model State Law provides a complete text and rationale necessary to enact a comprehensive lead poisoning prevention act. The law focuses on prevention of poisoning by eliminating the hazards. It identifies the...