HB1799: relative to blood testing for individuals exposed to perfluorinated chemicals in private or public water supplies.

HB 1799-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2018 SESSION

18-2093

08/04

HOUSE BILL 1799-FN

AN ACT relative to blood testing for individuals exposed to perfluorinated chemicals in private or public water supplies.

SPONSORS: Rep. Messmer, Rock. 24; Rep. Knirk, Carr. 3; Rep. Freitas, Hills. 14; Rep. McConnell, Ches. 12; Rep. Fraser, Belk. 1; Sen. Innis, Dist 24; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21

COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill requires the department of health and human services to offer and pay for blood testing for perfluorinated chemicals for certain people.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

18-2093

08/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen

AN ACT relative to blood testing for individuals exposed to perfluorinated chemicals in private or public water supplies.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Chapter; Perfluorinated Chemicals Testing. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 130-A the following new chapter:

CHAPTER 130-B

PERFLUORINATED CHEMICALS TESTING

130-B:1 Definitions.

I. "Department" means the department of health and human services.

II. "PFAs" means perfluorinated chemicals.

130-B:2 Blood Testing for Perfluorinated Chemicals. The department shall develop and implement a program to provide blood testing for persons exposed to PFAs through private or public water supplies at the reduced analytical laboratory price available to state contract holders. The cost of such blood tests shall be covered by the state if one or more the following:

I. There is reason to believe or laboratory data demonstrating that the person has been exposed to a drinking water supply in excess of the current applicable groundwater or drinking water criteria;

II. The department has previously denied the person's request for blood testing for PFAs because his or her public water supply or private water supply does not exceed the current applicable groundwater or drinking water criteria;

III. The person lives in a town where there has been a suspected release of PFAs into the air or into the groundwater or drinking water; or

IV. The person lives in a municipality where PFAs have been detected in the drinking water supply.

V. If a municipality has been exposed to concentrations of perfluorinated chemicals in an excess of a total of 50 parts per trillion or the current ambient groundwater quality standard found in rule, whichever is lower, in relation to a known or suspected release, the department shall assess and report to the public the prevalence and incidence of indications known or suspected to be associated with exposure to perfluorinated chemicals within that exposed population, including but not limited to: kidney, liver, or testicular cancer, low birth weight, miscarriages, ulcerative colitis, and thyroid disease or cancer.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

18-2093.1

12/11/17

HB 1799-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to blood testing for individuals exposed to perfluorinated chemicals in private or public water supplies.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Funding Source:

[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to offer and pay for blood testing for perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) for individuals meeting at least one of several criteria established by the bill. Additionally, whenever a municipality has been exposed to PFCs beyond a certain level defined by the bill, the Department would be required to assess and report the prevalence of a variety of conditions associated with exposure to PFCs. The Department states it would take nine to 12 months to develop the program by hiring and training staff, and the bill would require the addition of four new staff members, as follows:

FY19

FY20

FY21

FY22

Program Specialist IV (LG 25)

Salary and Benefits

$77,457

$81,283

$85,365

$89,510

Related Expenses

$14,531

$13,531

$13,531

$13,531

Program Assistant II (LG 15)

Salary and Benefits

$57,600

$60,492

$63,476

$66,546

Related Expenses

$14,531

$13,531

$13,531

$13,531

Toxicologist III

Salary and Benefits

$80,050

$84,040

$88,168

$92,430

Related Expenses

$14,531

$13,531

$13,531

$13,531

Lab Assistant III

Salary and Benefits

$56,152

$58,833

$61,677

$64,607

Related Expenses

$14,531

$13,531

$13,531

$13,531

Total Position Costs:

$329,383

$338,772

$352,810

$367,217

The Department also anticipates the following additional expenses:

FY19

FY20

FY21

FY22

Lab Instruments

$485,000

$0

$0

$0

Method Validation

$28,000

$0

$0

$0

Contract to receive calls from citizens regarding test results

$50,000

$50,000

$50,000

$50,000

Contract for routine specimen transport

$100,000

$100,000

$100,000

$100,000

Instrument Service Contract

$50,000

$50,000

$50,000

$50,000

Dry Ice contract expansion

$25,000

$25,000

$25,000

$25,000

Testing Costs

$150 per test (all years)

Contract to manage volume of testing

$200 per test (all years)

Additional costs for printing and mailing lab reports would range between $25,000 and $50,000 per year. Finally, the Department states the overall cost of implementing the bill's reporting requirement is indeterminable, as the Department is currently unaware of how many municipalities have been exposed to PFC levels higher than the threshold contained in the bill, nor does the Department currently track the prevalence of the various conditions the bill would require it to monitor.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Health and Human Services