HCS HB 964 -- CHILDHOOD LEAD TESTING PROGRAM

SPONSOR:  Barry

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Children,
Families and Health by a vote of 14 to 0.

This substitute requires all managed care deliveries and
entities which offer individual and group health insurance
policies and indemnity-type contracts issued by a health
services corporation to offer coverage for testing pregnant
women for lead poisoning and for all testing for lead poisoning
authorized by Sections 701.340 to 701.349, RSMo, pertaining to
the abatement of lead and the prevention of lead poisoning.
Coverage for this testing is also required if the Department of
Health develops rules as authorized by the substitute.  This
provision is effective January 1, 2002.

Health care services contained in the substitute are prohibited
from requiring any greater deductible or co-payment than any
other health care service provided by the policy, contract, or
plan.  Specified insurance policies are exempted from the
provisions of the substitute.

The substitute also revises provisions pertaining to the
abatement of lead and the prevention of lead poisoning.  In its
main provisions, the substitute:

(1)  Requires fees for laboratory testing of blood specimens for
lead content completed by the Department of Health to be
deposited in the Childhood Lead Testing Fund;

(2)  Requires the Director of the Department of Health to report
cases of lead poisoning to local boards of health, public health
agencies, and other persons and organizations;

(3)  Beginning January 1, 2002, requires the department to
implement a Childhood Lead Testing Program under which each
child less than 6 years of age will be tested for lead
poisoning.  Health care facilities serving children less than 6
years old, including hospitals and clinics licensed under
Chapter 197, are required to take appropriate measures to ensure
that their patients receive lead poisoning testing;

(4)  Contains an exemption which allows a parent or guardian to
object to lead testing;

(5)  Requires the department to identify geographic areas of the
state that are at high risk for lead poisoning.  Lead poisoning
testing and follow-up testing for children aged 6 months through
6 years who reside in a high risk area for more than 10 hours a
week is required;

(6)  Requires the department, in conjunction with the
departments of Social Services and Elementary and Secondary
Education, to develop a questionnaire in order to assess
children who may be at a high risk for lead poisoning;

(7)  Requires laboratories who provide test results for lead
poisoning to notify the department of any child who tests
positive for lead poisoning.  The department is required to
develop rules pertaining to follow-up testing;

(8)  Specifies the duties of the department concerning childhood
lead testing;

(9)  Requires every child care facility as defined in Section
210.201 and every child care facility affiliated with a school
system, business organization, or non-profit organization to
request that a child's parent or guardian provide evidence of
lead poisoning testing;

(10)  Prohibits children from being denied access to education
or a child care facility for failure to comply with provisions
of the substitute;

(11)  Creates the Childhood Lead Fund in the state treasury and
contains provisions concerning the deposit and use of the funds
for the administration of childhood lead programs;

(12)  Requires the department to develop rules to implement the
provisions of the substitute; and

(13)  Permits political subdivisions to adopt equivalent or more
stringent ordinances or laws pertaining to childhood lead
testing.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that lead exposure is a major
environmental factor facing Missouri children.  Lead is absorbed
in children quickly and causes neurological damage which can be
irreversible.  Lead screening is not being done during the
critical years of a child's development.  The bill establishes a
system of testing for the presence of lead poisoning in children
aged 6 months through 6 years of age who live in high risk lead
exposure areas.  The bill requires coverage for testing pregnant
women for lead poisoning.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Carnahan; Mark
Calderon, M.D.; Missouri Coalition for the Environment; St.
Louis Lead Prevention Coalition; Citizens for Missouri Children;
and Attorney General's Office.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Joseph Deering, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:46 am