Photo courtesy John Winters

Thanks to The Boren Foundation,
and Jack and Karen Kay Leonard
for making this website possible. 

Each year, the Indiana General Assembly hears hundreds of bills that affect public health and the environment. The 2001 session is no exception. At the top of most lists is legislation to address sewage in our streams, whether from failing septic systems, combined sewer overflows, or non-point source runoff. In contrast to past years, the focus of legislation is on finding funds and leveraging resources to address these problems. From revising the 100-year-old “Barrett Law” that has long been a barrier to community solutions to failing septic systems to authorizing community septic sewer districts to finally putting funds in the dormant Clean Water Indiana Fund established several years ago, the legislation holds much promise.

However, several other bills also hold significant promise to protect children from environmental threats. These bills address the hazards posed by lead-based paint in and on our homes, mercury in consumer products, and pesticides in our schools. And one bill deals with getting sound information about birth defects and cancer trends in Indiana. These bills are discussed in more detail in a special insert to this newsletter:

• Lead Poisoning — SB320 by Sen. Gard

• Pesticide Use in Schools — SB-143 by Sen. Gard and HB-1250 by Rep. Avery

• Mercury in Consumer Products — HB-1901 by Rep. Avery

• Cancer Registry — HB-1964 by Rep. Crawford

IKE President, Tom Neltner