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Committee hears bill to require blood‑lead result on school and daycare health forms; health officials back universal testing
Summary
HB 756 would add a required field for a child’s blood‑lead test result on school and childcare entrance health forms and direct providers to offer follow‑up materials if the field is blank, sponsors told the House Health and Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee.
Representative Heath Howard, prime sponsor of HB 756, told the committee the bill would require a parent or guardian to include a child’s blood‑lead test result on the school or childcare health form at entry, and would prompt providers to remind families and distribute educational materials if the field is blank. The sponsor said the measure is intended to catch children who have missed recommended testing and to provide a safety net for early detection.
DHHS witnesses explained New Hampshire already requires universal testing for children at ages 1 and 2 under RSA 130‑A:5‑a. However, DHHS staff and contracted public‑health nurses told the committee testing rates are incomplete and that 24–31 percent of children in those age bands were not tested in 2023 — creating gaps in detection for children who may need case management.
Public‑health nurses and recovery‑court and pediatric advocates said early detection is crucial because lead exposure causes irreversible neurodevelopmental harm and because undetected cases later require lengthy nurse case management, early‑intervention services and education supports. Nashua public‑health staff also described the daily work of field investigators and the long‑term supports the department provides families with elevated blood levels.
Childcare‑industry representatives supported the concept of adding a line to the health form but urged that enforcement be practical. Early‑Learning New Hampshire said the health form is typically completed by a health‑care provider and suggested requiring the provider to complete that field would be more efficient than asking childcare staff to chase missing results.
Several committee members asked about exemptions, testing enforcement and whether the bill should also cover children who enroll in private schools. DHHS said the law already contains an exemption process and reiterated that the statutory requirement for testing is at ages 1 and 2; HB 756 would create a documentation and parent‑education fallback for children who slip through earlier testing.
Committee members did not take a final vote. Sponsors and DHHS agreed to follow up on testing compliance rates and clarify forms and enforcement mechanics before further committee action.
