Designates October as "Lead Poisoning Awareness Month."

AJR173

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 173

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 7, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman� ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Donlon

SYNOPSIS

���� Designates October as �Lead Poisoning Awareness
Month.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A Joint
Resolution
designating October of each year as �Lead Poisoning Awareness
Month.�

Whereas,
Approximately 1,400 children in New Jersey were
found to have elevated blood levels at or above 5 micrograms per deciliter
according to the 2020 Annual Report on Childhood Lead Exposure in New Jersey,
published by the New Jersey Department of Health; and

Whereas,
Symptoms of lead poisoning in children include
developmental delays and learning difficulties due to the damage elevated lead
levels cause to the brain and nervous system; and

Whereas,
New Jersey law requires health care providers to
test children at ages 1 and 2 for elevated blood lead levels; and

Whereas,
The primary source of lead poisoning in children is
the ingestion of lead based paint, which was frequently used in residential
housing built prior to 1978; and

Whereas,
According to the United States Environmental
Protection Agency, 20 percent of lead exposure comes from drinking water,
although the percentage is higher for infants who consume mostly mixed formula;
and

Whereas,
The leading cause of lead exposure in adults is
occupational exposure in the construction industry, according to the New York
City Department of Health; and

Whereas,
Hobbies with a high risk of lead exposure include
jewelry making, stained glass making, and antique furniture refinishing and
restoration; and

Whereas,
Approximately 0.2 out of every 100,000 employed
adults in New Jersey had elevated blood levels in 2020 , according to the New
Jersey Department of Health; and

Whereas,
Lead poisoning in adults causes high blood
pressure, and brain, kidney, and reproductive health issues; and

Whereas,
In 1986, Congress passed an amendment to the Safe
Drinking Water Act to prohibit the use of pipes, solder, or flux that contain
lead in plumbing that provides water to be used for human consumption; and

Whereas,
The use of lead based paint was banned in New
Jersey in 1972 and federally in 1978; and

Whereas,
In 2021, Governor Murphy signed three bills into
law � P.L.2021, c.182 (C.52:27D-437.16 et seq.), P.L.2021, c.183 (C.58:12A-40
et seq.), and P.L.2021, c.183 (C.40A:4-35.2 et al.) � which address lead
exposure by, among other things, requiring lead paint inspections of certain
residential rental properties, and requiring public community water systems to
inventory and replace their lead drinking water service lines; and

Whereas,
Lead poisoning still poses a threat to the public
health of our State, thus it is fitting and proper to designate October of each
year �Lead Poisoning Awareness Month,� in order to raise awareness of the risk
factors associated with lead and the methods of screening for lead poisoning;
now, therefore,

����
Be It Resolved
by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New
Jersey:

���� 1.� The month of October of
each year is designated as �Lead Poisoning Awareness Month� in New Jersey, in
order to raise public awareness of the dangers of elevated blood lead levels
and the methods by which the risk of lead exposure may be minimized.

���� 2.� The Governor is
respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation recognizing October of
each year as �Lead Poisoning Awareness Month.�

���� 3. �This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This joint resolution would
designate October of each year as �Lead Poisoning Awareness Month� in the
State.