BACKGROUND
Pennsylvania schools are recommended to test for lead, but the law does not require them to do so. As a result, nearly 9,000 Pennsylvania children tested positive for lead poisoning, and were confirmed to have unsafe levels of lead in their blood, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s 2022 Childhood Lead Surveillance Annual Report.
Lead poisoning has well-documented adverse effects on children, such as brain and nervous system damage, physical growth delays, learning and behavior problems, and speech and hearing impairment. These factors can lead to lower IQ and even a higher risk of criminal behavior in adulthood.
In response, I’ve introduced bipartisan legislation with Sens. John Kane (D-9) and Art Haywood (D-4) to require school districts to replace old, outdated drinking fountains with lead-filtering hydration stations by 2028. The legislation, Senate Bill 759, also includes funding mechanisms to help school districts achieve this goal.

