Lead exposure continues to affect the health of children and families in New Hampshire. Recent years have shown that young children in our state are still experiencing lead poisoning, and that lead testing is declining. There are many homes in New Hampshire that still have lead-based paints and therefore may contain harmful levels of lead, so this is concerning.
Two NH bills, SB 399 and SB 392, aim to protect Granite State children, families, and communities from the harmful impacts of lead exposure.
About the Bills
SB 399 would help families access lead testing by removing financial barriers. It would require insurance companies to cover the full cost of lead testing at one and two years old, and any follow-up testing needed as a result of elevated blood lead levels. This would mean that lead testing for NH's most at-risk children would be free.
SB 392 increases efforts to make New Hampshire homes and communities lead-safe. It would do this by allocating additional resources to a fund that helps homeowners and owners of residential properties remove lead hazards from their buildings. This would help prevent lead exposure in NH children, who are at the highest risk for lead poisoning.
Bill Status
SB 399: The Senate passed SB 399 with amendment in late March. On May 23, the House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 241-122. The bill was signed by the Governor on July 3 and the law change will go into effect on September 1, 2024.
SB 392: The Senate voted to table SB 392, meaning the bill will not advance this session. While SB 392 will not advance, New Futures and our partners will continue to pursue funding for this critical program through other sources - stay tuned for more information.
