Committee approves PFAS working group with DOH amendments and funding request

The Senate joint AEN/HHS committee voted to pass SB 2095 with amendments after the Department of Health said it supports creation of a PFAS working group but asked amendments to align the group with existing DOH efforts and requested funding for outside resources to complete the studies contemplated by the bill.

Grace Simmons spoke for DOH and said the department favors the working group, has offered amendments for alignment and may require additional funding to carry out proposed studies. Cedric Gates (Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity) offered written comments and deferred to DOH on study design and scope. Ernie Lau (Board of Water Supply) urged that BWS be included as a formal member because water systems will be passive recipients of PFAS contamination; he noted the large number of PFAS compounds and long‑term implications for drinking water.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about scope and terminology, including what the bill means by "other residuals" and whether short‑chain and long‑chain PFAS breakdown products would be included. DOH witnesses explained that PFAS compounds break down into multiple residuals found in media such as soil and water and agreed to work with the committee to define terms and align study plans.

The amendment package adopted in committee incorporated DOH suggestions, included technical edits and deferred certain effective dates to July 1, 2050. The measure passed in committee and will proceed to further legislative steps with the adopted modifications.