An Act To Protect Maine Children from Lung Cancer by Requiring Radon Testing in Schools
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1433
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: WARREN, MILLETT, FARNSWORTH, PIERCE
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4013

Legislative Document
No. 1433
H.P. 988
House of Representatives, April 13, 2017
An Act To Protect Maine Children from Lung Cancer by Requiring 
Radon Testing in Schools
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative WARREN of Hallowell.
Cosponsored by Senator MILLETT of Cumberland and
Representatives: FARNSWORTH of Portland, PIERCE of Falmouth.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4013 is enacted to read: 
§4013.  Radon 
1.  Testing required.  A school administrative unit shall hire a person registered with 
the division of environmental health within the Department of Health and Human 
Services under the Radon Registration Act to test an occupied elementary school or 
secondary school of the school administrative unit every 5 years for radon. 
A.  If the results of a radon screening test under this subsection indicate radon levels 
of 4.0 picocuries per liter of air or above, the radon levels in the affected areas must 
be mitigated by a person registered with respect to both design and installation with 
the division of environmental health within the Department of Health and Human 
Services under the Radon Registration Act.  A school administrative unit shall 
consider corrective action in consultation with a person registered with the division of 
environmental health within the Department of Health and Human Services under the 
Radon Registration Act for levels found to be between 2.0 picocuries per liter of air 
and 3.9 picocuries per liter of air. 
B.  The school administrative unit shall maintain, make available for review and 
notify parents, faculty and staff of test results under this subsection.  The school 
administrative unit shall report radon test results to the Department of Education and 
the Department of Health and Human Services.  The Department of Health and 
Human Services shall prepare a report of the test results from all schools and no later 
than October 1, 2022 and every 5 years thereafter shall submit this report to the 
Legislature and the Governor. 
2.  New schools.  A school administrative unit, when building a new elementary 
school or secondary school, shall use radon-resistant new construction techniques as 
shown in the United States Environmental Protection Agency document, Radon 
Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires school administrative units to test schools for radon every 5 years.  
If radon levels are above a certain level, the school administrative unit must take action to 
mitigate the affected areas.  The school administrative unit must notify parents, faculty 
and staff of test results and must report test results to the Department of Education and 
the Department of Health and Human Services.  The Department of Health and Human 
Services must report these results every 5 years to the Legislature and the Governor. 
The bill also requires school administrative units to build new schools using radon-
resistant new construction techniques as recommended by the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency.