HF 2067

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to health; requiring development of an
environmental justice tracking system; proposing
coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 145.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [145.945] ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TRACKING.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin For purposes of this section:
new text end

new text begin (1) "health disparities" include, but are not limited to,
the health disparity priority areas identified under section
145.928, subdivision 1; childhood lead poisoning; asthma;
diabetes; cardiovascular disease; cancer; traumatic brain
injury; birth defects; and other conditions defined by the
commissioner of health; and
new text end

new text begin (2) "toxic sources" include, but are not limited to,
Superfund sites; national priority list sites; incinerators;
power generating plants; toxic spills and toxic emissions, as
identified by the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right
to Know Act or the Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Division of the Department of Public Safety; occupational
exposures to toxic substances, as identified by the commissioner
of labor and industry according to the Occupational Safety and
Health Act or by the National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health; and other sources as defined by the commissioner of
the Pollution Control Agency, the commissioner of health, the
commissioner of labor and industry according to the Occupational
Safety and Health Act, or the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Environmental justice tracking system. new text end

new text begin (a) The
commissioner of health, in cooperation with the commissioners of
agriculture and the Pollution Control Agency, must evaluate the
feasibility of implementing an environmental justice tracking
system to assess and disseminate existing information on health
disparities and information in the Department of Health's birth
defects registry and cancer registry in relation to toxic
sources. The system must attempt to show, by census tract, the
health risk, race, ethnic origin, gender, age, and income status
for the state's population.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioners must use existing geographical
information systems (GIS) used by other state and applicable
federal and local governmental units. State and local agencies
must cooperate with the commissioners within the limits of
available funding.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioners must seek available federal funding
in developing the tracking system.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Report required. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health
must submit a report to the legislature by January 15, 2006, and
every January 1 thereafter. The report must contain an overview
and assessment of available data; methods used to link health
disparities with toxic sources, including bioaccumulative
exposure; assessment of the quality and validity of the observed
linkage; and recommendations on the most effective methods to
communicate findings to affected populations.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Coordination. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of the Pollution
Control Agency shall apply federal funding to expand the
agency's environmental justice mapping project and must
coordinate the project with the environmental justice tracking
system under this section.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end