| R 317 |
| 2024 -- H 8306 Enacted 05/23/2024 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING MAY 23, 2024, TO BE "LEAD POISONING PREVENTION DAY" IN RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives Morales, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Kennedy, Ajello, Fogarty, Cortvriend, Shallcross Smith, and Diaz |
| Date Introduced: May 23, 2024 |
| WHEREAS, According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, exposure |
| to childhood lead poisoning can do great damage to a child's health. Exposure to lead poisoning |
| can damage the brain and nervous system, lower IQ, slow growth and development, cause |
| hearing and speech problems, learning and behavior problems, and decreased attention span |
| leading to underperformance in school; and |
| WHEREAS, Lead is a naturally occurring element found in the air, soil, water and often, |
| inside of homes. Exposure comes from many sources including fossil fuels and leaded gasoline, |
| paint used in homes, ceramics, pipes, solders, plumbing materials, batteries, ammunition, and |
| even cosmetics. Lead can also often be found in high levels at industrial sources and |
| contaminated sites; and |
| WHEREAS, A recent medical research paper published by the National Academy of |
| Sciences stated that over 170 million Americans who were adults in 2015 had been exposed to |
| harmful levels of lead as children. The researchers estimate that half of the United States adult |
| population had lead levels higher than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention threshold |
| for harmful lead exposure. The researchers also found that in addition to negatively affecting |
| cognitive development, high levels of lead exposure also increased the risk for developing |
| hypertension and heart disease; and |
| WHEREAS, The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that worldwide, nearly |
| one million people die every year due to lead poisoning. They also estimate that globally, one in |
| three children, approximately 800 million worldwide, have high blood levels of lead poisoning. |
| The WHO estimates that lead exposure leads to 21.7 million years lost to death and disability |
| around the world; and |
| WHEREAS, Approximately 80 percent of Rhode Island houses were built before 1978, |
| when lead-based paints were finally banned from residential use. It is estimated that currently, |
| 66,000 children in Rhode Island live in these houses. In 2020, 472 Rhode Island children under |
| the age of six were diagnosed with lead poisoning, tragically making Rhode Island home to the |
| second-highest number of children with severe lead poisoning in New England. According to |
| Joseph Braun, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Brown University, "a doubling of blood |
| levels is associated with a 72 percent increase in aggressive behaviors" and also "results in a 6.9 |
| point decline in IQ. And it's estimated that each IQ point is worth a loss of $17,000 in lifetime |
| earnings"; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| proclaims May 23, 2024, to be "Lead Poisoning Prevention Day" in Rhode Island; and be it |
| further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Terrance Gray, Director, Rhode Island |
| Department of Environmental Management. |
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| LC005972 |
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