ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT AND SOLID WASTE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1977

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  NOVEMBER 15, 2021

      The Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1977.

      This bill would require, within one year after the bill is enacted into law, the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to establish online reporting systems for schools and child care centers to report lead testing results electronically.  In July 2016, the State Board of Education adopted regulations requiring every school in the State to test for lead in drinking water, and in January 2017, the DCF adopted regulations requiring each child care facility in the State to test for lead in drinking water.

      Under the bill, within 90 days after establishment of the databases required by the bill, each school and child care center that was required pursuant to law or regulation to test for lead would be required to submit or resubmit its test results and any other required information via the online reporting system.  The DOE and the DCF would be required to compile the test results on their respective Internet websites for access by the public. 

      The bill also would require, within two years after the bill is enacted into law, the DOE and the DCF, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, to prepare and submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature outlining the extent of lead contamination in the drinking water of schools and child care centers, the associated need for assistance with remediation activities, and recommendations for how the State can assist schools and child care centers with remediating lead in drinking water.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.