land legislature

[Guest guest]

This probably isn't of interest to many, but its a bill up for

consideration in MD. I think they need to consider issues beyond

the HVAC, but it's a start. Here's the link if it reads funny from

the copy and paste.

http://mlis.state.md.us/2006rs/bills/hb/hb0243f.pdf

UNOFFICIAL COPY OF HOUSE BILL 243

J1 6lr0509

HB 350/05 - ENV

_____________________________________________________________________

_______________

By: Delegates Smigiel, Cluster, Costa, Elmore, Haddaway, Jennings,

Krebs,

Shewell, Sophocleus, and Sossi

Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2006

Assigned to: Health and Government Operations

_____________________________________________________________________

________________

A BILL ENTITLED

1 AN ACT concerning

2 Task Force on Indoor Air Quality in Educational Institutions

3 FOR the purpose of establishing a Task Force on Indoor Air Quality

in Educational

4 Institutions; providing for certain membership, duties, and

staffing of the Task

5 Force; providing for the designation of the chair of the Task

Force; requiring the

6 Task Force to issue a certain report by a certain date;

prohibiting a member of

7 the Task Force from receiving certain compensation; prohibiting a

member of

8 the Task Force from participating in certain activities of the

Task Force under

9 certain circumstances; authorizing a member of the Task Force to

receive

10 certain reimbursements; providing for the termination of this

Act; and generally

11 relating to the Task Force on Indoor Air Quality in Educational

Institutions.

12 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF

13 MARYLAND, That:

14 (a) There is a Task Force on Indoor Air Quality in Educational

Institutions.

15 ( The Task Force consists of the following 24 members:

16 (1) two members of the House of Delegates appointed by the

Speaker of

17 the House;

18 (2) two members of the Senate of land appointed by the

President

19 of the Senate;

20 (3) the Secretary of the Environment, or the Secretary's designee;

21 (4) the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene, or the Secretary's

22 designee;

23 (5) the Chancellor of the University System of land, or the

24 Chancellor's designee;

25 (6) the State Superintendent of Schools; and

26 (7) sixteen members appointed by the Governor as follows:

2 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF HOUSE BILL 243

1 (i) two representatives of the heating, ventilation, and

2 air-conditioning (HVAC) repair industries;

3 (ii) two representatives of not-for-profit organizations that focus

4 on indoor air quality and related health issues;

5 (iii) one representative from the s Hopkins School of Public

6 Health;

7 (iv) one representative of local government;

8 (v) two representatives of county school boards;

9 (vi) one representative of a private noncollegiate educational

10 institution certified by the State Board of Education;

11 (vii) one representative of a noncollegiate educational

institution

12 operated by a bona fide church organization;

13 (viii) two members of the land Higher Education Commission;

14 (ix) two citizens affected by HVAC-related illnesses caused by

15 HVAC systems in educational institutions in the State;

16 (x) one physician representative of the land College of

17 Occupational and Environmental Medicine with credentials and

experience in the

18 evaluation and treatment of illnesses related to indoor air

quality; and

19 (xi) one person with expertise in architecture or building design

and

20 engineering.

21 © The Governor shall designate the Chair of the Task Force.

22 (d) The Task Force shall:

23 (1) study the nature, location, and extent of health and

environmental

24 risks posed to students and employees of educational institutions

as a result of molds,

25 spores, and other toxic organisms located in the HVAC systems of

public and private

26 educational institutions in land, including:

27 (i) the relative risks associated with the manufacture,

28 maintenance, and repair of HVAC systems in educational

institutions; and

29 (ii) actual and projected costs for the medical treatment of

30 HVAC-related illnesses caused by HVAC systems in educational

institutions in the

31 State;

32 (2) make recommendations regarding:

3 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF HOUSE BILL 243

1 (i) the prevention of HVAC-related illnesses, including a

2 monitoring program to identify the probable onset of HVAC-related

illnesses and

3 their underlying causes;

4 (ii) the use of appropriate remedies and controls in educational

5 institutions, including the best available treatment technology

and voluntary

6 prevention and pollution reduction programs;

7 (iii) a plan to provide information and warnings to affected

8 students, students' families, and employees of educational

institutions regarding

9 health and environmental risks associated with the indoor air

quality of their sites;

10 and

11 (iv) legislative or regulatory measures that are necessary and

12 appropriate to address current gaps in federal, State, and local

protection of students

13 and employees of educational institutions from HVAC-borne toxins;

and

14 (3) submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to

the

15 Governor, and subject to § 2-1246 of the State Government

Article, to the General

16 Assembly, on or before July 1, 2007.

17 (e) State agencies represented on the Task Force shall provide

staff support

18 for the Task Force.

19 (f) A member of the Task Force may not receive compensation for

serving on

20 the Task Force, but is entitled to reimbursement for expenses

under the Standard

21 State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.

22 (g) A member of the Task Force who misses two meetings of the

Task Force

23 may not participate in any decision-making processes or

recommendations of the

24 Task Force.

25 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take

effect

26 July 1, 2006. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year

and 1 month and, at the

27 end of July 31, 2007, with no further action required by the

General Assembly, this

28 Act shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect.