Click here to see a copy of the bill, LB-204
Lawmakers have advanced a measure that would add blood-lead tests to the list of medical requirements students need to enroll in Nebraska public schools.
The bill by Omaha Sen. Brenda Council cleared the first of three
required votes Monday, 29-9.
Council's measure (LB204) would require a test unless students
raise religious objections or present a doctor's note confirming that they face a "very low risk" of high blood-lead levels. The bill would affect students entering kindergarten on or after July 1.
Some lawmakers questioned whether the bill would really help
children with high blood-lead levels. The measure requires the state Department of Health and Human Services to notify parents or guardians about special education services if their blood levels rise to 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter or higher.