Bill would require lead testing in Georgia schools
Schools and child care centers in Georgia would have to test their drinking water for lead contamination under a bill approved by the state Senate Friday.
Senate Bill 29 would require them to perform the tests and remediate any lead contamination by June 30, 2019. If lead is found, the facilities would be required to post results and a remediation plan and to provide them to parents and guardians of children as well as employees.
The bill also would require schools and child care centers to send the results to the state Department of Health. And it requires the department to establish rules for testing and remediation by Jan. 1, 2018.
Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, who sponsored the bill, said it would “just make sure that parents know what their children are drinking in their schools.”
The bill, which passed by a vote of 50-1, now goes to the House of Representatives.
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
