An Act To Require Public Schools To Periodically Test for Radon
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1079
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: WARREN, GRATWICK, COREY, KESCHL, PIERCE, MILLETT
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4013

Legislative Document
No. 1079
H.P. 802
House of Representatives, March 5, 2019
An Act To Require Public Schools To Periodically Test for Radon
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative WARREN of Hallowell.
Cosponsored by Senator GRATWICK of Penobscot and
Representatives: COREY of Windham, KESCHL of Belgrade, PIERCE of Falmouth, Senators: 
MILLETT of Cumberland, SANBORN, L. of Cumberland.
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.  In accordance with a schedule developed by the department, 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, secondary school or other 
building of the school administrative unit every 5 years for radon.  The method of testing 
must comply with school testing standards recommended by the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency.  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 school administrative units tested and no later than October 1, 2025 and every 5 years 
thereafter shall submit the report to the Legislature and the Governor.
2.  Funding.  When funds are available, the department shall disburse money to 
school administrative units to use for radon testing.  The department shall adopt rules to 
implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
3.  New schools.  A school administrative unit, when building a new elementary 
school, secondary school or other building, 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" or subsequent document issued by the United States Environmental Protection 
Agency.
Sec. 2.  Testing schedule.  The Department of Education shall establish a schedule 
for testing for radon in school buildings pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
20-A, section 4013, subsection 1 that ensures that such testing is conducted in 20% of 
school administrative units in the State each year beginning in 2020.
SUMMARY
This bill requires school administrative units to test schools and other buildings for 
radon every 5 years.  The radon testing must comply with the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency's recommended testing standards for schools.  A 
school administrative unit must notify parents, faculty and staff of the 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 Governor and the Legislature.
The bill also requires school administrative units to build new schools and buildings 
using radon-resistant new construction techniques as recommended by the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency.