Holding Pennsylvania Accountable for Dangerous Lead Levels

Sen. Haywood Sheds Light on Lead Problem in Pa

Did you know that there are 18 Pennsylvania cities that have tested higher for blood lead levels than Flint, Michigan? Last month, I joined several of my Senate Democratic colleagues and state health officials to offer a focused course of action to better protect children and their families from the dangers of lead poisoning.

Monitoring lead levels in our schools, housing, and child care centers is a fundamental step we can take to ensure Pennsylvania’s children are safe. With this in mind, I am the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 17, which would require every school building to have water, paint and soil tested for lead before each school year begins. Test results would be sent to parents of every enrolled child and posted on school district websites. If a school tests at lead levels higher than the Centers for Disease Control’s acceptable amount, it would be required to submit a remediation plan to the Pennsylvania’s Department of Education.

I have also joined my colleagues in co-sponsoring the following Senate bills:

• Senate Bill 16 (Sen. Yudichak) would create a task force to study the scope of the lead issue, including an accounting of the age of the state’s housing stock, pipelines, school buildings and day care centers. It would also study best practices and make recommendations.
• Senate Bill 18 (Sen. Kitchen) seeks to require lead testing (water, paint, soil) in day care centers licensed by the PA Department of Human Services. DHS would be prohibited from issuing a license to a day care operator if lead levels are higher than CDC recommended readings.
• Senate Bill 19 (Sen. Fontana) would require any agreement of sale for real property in the commonwealth to include an option to have the water tested for lead. And,
• Senate Bill 20 (Sen. Hughes) would create a “SuperFund for Lead Abatement” that could be used by schools, day care centers, and other organizations to defray lead remediation costs.

As we have seen in Flint, the cost of inaction on this issue is much greater than the cost of basic standards to protect children from lead. We must do everything in our power to put the safety of our children first.

Post-Budget Town Hall Meetings

Over the past month, I have held four Town Hall meetings reaching out to neighbors to discuss the final 2015-16 state budget. My office has held meetings in-person at Center in the Park and at Rydal Park, joining with Rep. Madeleine Dean and Commissioner Ben Sanchez. We have also used technology to connect with neighbors who may not be able to attend a Town Hall in person, holding both a Telephone Town Hall and a Facebook Town Hall. My next Town Hall will be held at Corinthian Baptist Church in Germantown on April 28th from 7-8 PM. I look forward to hosting additional Town Halls across the 4th district.

Listening and Responding to Your Neighborhood Concerns

After hearing from a number of neighbors that Lee’s Steak and Hoagies was creating a public nuisance in Germantown, advocates including Councilwoman Bass, Rep. Steve Kinsey and I contacted the Liquor Control Board about this issue. The Liquor Control Board has now effectively revoked the liquor license from this business. The renewal of Lee's Steak & Hoagies's liquor license has only been approved on the condition that it is sold to another individual for another location. Lee's Steaks and Hoagies is now obligated to stop liquor sales by June 5, 2016. If you have concerns across the 4th district, please contact my office so that we may work with you to find a solution.

Dare to Care,

Art Haywood
State Senator
4th District

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