Sacramento, CA – Last week, Assemblymember Chris Holden’s landmark legislation, AB 1851, School-site Lead Testing and Mitigated Pilot Program, which would have required the Superintendent of Public Instruction to contract with a nonprofit technical assistance organization to sample all potable water system outlets, was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee. AB 1851 is a follow up bill to AB 249, addressing the Governor’s concerns and taking a more fiscal approach to the issue of water safety in California schools.
“I would be lying if I said this was not a great disappointment, especially given the tremendous efforts at a federal and state level to ensure safe drinking water for all of our children and the excess federal funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I struggle to find good reason for the Senate Appropriation Committee’s decision not to see this one through,” said Assemblymember Holden.
The federal government and state of California have enhanced lead testing standards and processes, but the misalignment of lead testing standards for childcare centers and TK-12 schools leaves room for important improvements for long-term results and safety. A United States Environmental Protection Agency analysis found that minority and low income populations experience disproportionate risk of lead exposure in drinking water. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, California is set to receive approximately $14.5 billion for transportation to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports and roughly $1 billion for clean water.
“Since money was not the issue, I suspect Californians will want to know why the Legislature failed to secure this legislation. In my humble opinion, this was a no brainer,” said Holden.
