HOUSE BILL NO. 600

INTRODUCED BY G. GUTSCHE

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO ADOPT STANDARDS TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND PREGNANT WOMEN FROM THE FULL RANGE OF HEALTH EFFECTS THAT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH PRENATAL AND OTHER EXPOSURES TO POLLUTANTS; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Short title. [Sections 1 and 2] may be cited as the "Montana State Children's Health Protection Act".

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Standards protecting children. (1) In considering permits, rules, standards, and other decisions under Title 75, chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, and 11, the department of environmental quality shall, when conducting or considering risk assessment, protect the health of children and pregnant women from the full range of health effects that may be associated with prenatal and other exposures to pollutants, including but not limited to:

(a) neurological effects such as learning impairments and attention problems;

(b) hormone disruption;

(c) reproductive problems;

(d) birth defects;

(e) immune system damage;

(f) cancer; and

(g) other problems.

(2) The department of environmental quality shall ensure that an explicit evaluation of environmental health hazards for children and pregnant women is included in the decisionmaking record for each permit, rule, standard, or other decision.

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Codification instruction. [Sections 1 and 2] are intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 75, and the provisions of Title 75 apply to [sections 1 and 2].

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.

NEW SECTION. Section 5. Applicability. [This act] applies to a department decision on a permit, rule, standard, or other decision made after [the effective date of this act].

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