On Tuesday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan bills to protect minors in Michigan by guaranteeing the screening of minors for lead poisoning. The bills ensure that all children at 12 and 24 months are tested for lead poisoning, allowing for an opt-out for parents.
“Keeping Michiganders safe and healthy is top priority, and today’s bipartisan bills will build on our efforts to protect children from lead poisoning,” said Whitmer. “In Michigan, we know the importance of safe drinking water and the devastating, long-lasting impacts of lead exposure. With our historic investments in water infrastructure over the last five years, our work to replace tens of thousands of lead service lines, and today’s bills to test children for lead exposure, we will protect our water and our children. Together, we will make Michigan a safer, healthier state to grow up.”
Senate Bill 31, sponsored by state Senator John Cherry, D-Flint, requires a physician treating a minor to test or order a test for lead poisoning at early ages.
“Lead poisoning poses a serious health risk to kids not only in Flint, but across Michigan,” said Cherry. “To protect the health of our children, families and communities we must take the necessary steps to address this pressing issue on multiple fronts, including during regular healthcare checkups. This legislation, which ensures access to lead testing for all children, regardless of their insurance coverage, will help parents identify early on if their children have been exposed to lead. This way, they can ensure their kids receive the treatment they need to live a happy, healthy and full life.”
House Bill 4200, sponsored by state Representative Helena Scott, D-Detroit, will update a child's immunization certificate to include a space indicating whether the minor had been tested for lead poisoning, beginning January 1, 2024.
“The signing of this bill is a tangible commitment to regularly screen children for lead exposure at varied intervals in partnership and under the auspices of the Department of Health and Human Services,” said Scott. “As we work to get the lead out of our infrastructure, I see this lead screening bill as an important tool that will enable us to act quickly in cases of lead exposure, and ultimately, we can better protect the health and well-being of our young children.”
Universal lead screening will boost detection of lead poisoning in Michigan. No amount of lead in the blood is considered safe, making early diagnosis and intervention essential.
The budget Whitmer signed this year invested nearly $600 million to protect drinking water, helping communities replace lead service lines, rebuild sewers, and more.
While lead in drinking water is concerning, lead can also come from other sources. Exposure to lead-based paint chips and dust, as well as soil with higher levels of lead, are most often to blame when it comes to having elevated levels of lead in the body.
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