Pennsylvania HB 289: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in grounds and buildings, providing for radon testing.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 234 PRINTER'S NO. 3055
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 289
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BRIGGS, ORTITAY, GIRAL, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI,
HADDOCK, FREEMAN, McNEILL, SANCHEZ, KUZMA, DONAHUE,
SCHLOSSBERG, NEILSON, CIRESI, FIEDLER, SHUSTERMAN, DEASY,
GREEN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, CERRATO AND GAYDOS, JANUARY 23, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
PROTECTION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED,
MARCH 23, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in grounds and buildings, providing
for radon testing.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 743. Radon Testing.--(a) Beginning in the 2026-2027
school year and thereafter as provided under this section :
(1) Each existing school building shall be tested for radon
gas.
(2) If the test result is at least four (4) picocuries per
liter of air, the school building shall be mitigated and
retested until the radon levels are less than four (4)
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picocuries per liter of air.
(b) The following shall apply to the initial testing of a
school building's radon gas levels:
(1) The initial testing of a school building's radon gas
levels shall occur within one (1) year of the effective date of
this clause or within one year of completion of the building's
construction, whichever is later .
(2) If the testing of a school building's radon gas levels
does not identify any radon gas levels at or above four (4)
picocuries per liter of air, the school building must be
retested every five (5) years or when the school building
receives major structural, foundational or HVAC renovations or
repairs, whichever is sooner.
(3) If the testing of a school building's radon gas levels
identifies any radon gas levels at or above four (4) picocuries
per liter of air, the school building must be retested every two
(2) years.
(c) Radon gas testing shall be performed in accordance with
the version of ANSI-AARST MA-MFLB Protocol for Conducting
Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products in Multifamily,
School, Commercial and Mixed-Use Buildings in effect on the
effective date of this subsection.
(d) Radon gas testing shall be performed by an individual
who is certified under the act of July 9, 1987 (P.L.238, No.43),
known as the "Radon Certification Act."
(e) The following shall apply to radon gas mitigation:
(1) If radon gas testing results for a room or occupied area
in a school building indicate that the radon level is at least
four (4) picocuries per liter of air, the school building shall
be mitigated and retested until the radon levels are less than
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four (4) picocuries per liter of air.
(2) Radon gas mitigation shall be performed by an individual
who is certified under the "Radon Certification Act" by the
Department of Environmental Protection. Retesting of mitigated
buildings shall be performed as provided under clause (1) and
every two (2) years thereafter by an individual who is certified
under the "Radon Certification Act" by the Department of
Environmental Protection .
(3) Operation, maintenance and monitoring of the radon gas
mitigation system shall comply with the radon mitigation
standards provided under the current version of the ANSI-AARST
SGM-MFLB Soil Gas Mitigation Standards for Existing Multifamily,
School, Commercial and Mixed-Use Buildings in effect on the
effective date of this clause.
(4) Radon gas mitigation system installations shall be
completed within six (6) months of confirmatory radon gas
testing.
(f) Initial radon testing results, mitigation plans and
radon testing results conducted after radon mitigation shall be
reported within sixty (60) days after the information has been
received by the school entity as follows:
(1) By presentation to the governing body of a school entity
at a public meeting of the governing body of a school entity.
(2) By communication by the governing body of a school
entity to the parents' organization, if one exists.
(3) By communication by the governing body of a school
entity to the teachers' union or other employe organization.
(4) By posting on the school district's publicly accessible
Internet website and social media.
(5) By submitting a report to the Radon Division of the
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Bureau of Radiation Protection of the Department of
Environmental Protection, the State Board of Education, the
Department of Education and t