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HB 7191

AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- LEAD POISONING PREVENTION ACT

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sam Azzinaro and 7 co-sponsors

Rhode Island will require standardized lead screening for children under six, with tests analyzed in-state and annual public reporting to guide lead hazard reduction.

06/10/2026 Signed by Governor
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Bill Summary · HB 7191

Bill Summary: HB 7191 (Rhode Island, 2026) - Lead Poisoning Prevention Act

Main purpose and intent

  • Establishes and clarifies requirements for screening children for lead poisoning and outlines how screening data should be analyzed and shared.
  • Aims to standardize lead screening practices across providers and programs, ensure state laboratories or state-incorporated clinical labs handle analyses, and improve data reporting for public health actions and policy oversight.

Key provisions and changes

  • Screening regulations and intervals
    • The Department of Health (DOH) must promulgate regulations detailing:
    • How and at what intervals children under six should be screened for lead poisoning.
    • Authority to require screening in other high-risk groups beyond children under six.
  • Responsible parties and implementation
    • All physicians licensed in Rhode Island must screen children under six per the Department’s regulations.
    • Health care facilities serving children under six (e.g., hospitals, clinics, HMO) must take steps to ensure eligible patients are screened according to the regulations.
    • All state-funded health programs that include child health components must incorporate and/or require lead screening at the specified intervals and by the specified methods.
  • Religious exemption
    • The screening requirement does not apply if parents object on religious grounds to blood lead screening.
  • Laboratory processing
    • All blood samples drawn for lead screening from children under six must be analyzed:
    • Either by the Rhode Island state laboratory, or
    • By a clinical laboratory in Rhode Island that is operated by an entity incorporated in the state.
  • Data analysis and reporting
    • The Department must annually analyze and summarize all lead screening data from physicians, facilities, and laboratories.
    • The Department must share this analysis with:
    • Local and state agencies involved in case management and lead hazard reduction.
    • The health care community, the Rhode Island General Assembly, and the general public in an accessible format.
  • Effective date
    • The act takes effect upon passage.

Who is affected

  • Health care providers
    • Physicians, clinics, hospitals, and health maintenance organizations must implement mandated lead screening for children under six.
  • State-funded health programs
    • Any program with child health components must align with the new screening requirements.
  • Laboratories
    • Lead analyses for screening must be conducted by the state laboratory or by Rhode Island-incorporated clinical laboratories.
  • Public health and policy entities
    • DOH and other state and local agencies will receive standardized data analyses and reports to guide lead hazard reduction efforts and policy decisions.
  • General public and healthcare community
    • Annual, non-technical summaries of screening data will be publicly available.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Regulatory process
    • DOH is authorized and presumably directed to promulgate the necessary regulations for screening intervals, methods, and high-risk groups.
  • Data reporting cadence
    • The department must produce annual analyses and summaries of screening data for targeted agencies and for public dissemination.
  • Effective timing
    • The act becomes effective immediately upon passage.
  • Legislative context
    • Introduced January 21, 2026; referred to House Health & Human Services; undergoes committee recommended hold and proposed substitute steps as part of the legislative process.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Public health impact
    • Standardized, state-regulated screening could improve early detection of elevated blood lead levels and facilitate timely intervention.
  • Data-driven policy
    • Regular, accessible data summaries support targeted lead hazard reduction efforts and informed policymaking.
  • Access and exemptions
    • Religious exemption provides a protection for parental conscience, though it may affect screening rates in certain populations.
  • Operational considerations
    • Requires coordination among clinicians, facilities, laboratories, and payers to ensure compliance with intervals and methods.
    • May necessitate investments in laboratory capacity within state-incorporated labs or partnerships with compliant facilities.

If you’d like, I can add a quick comparison to existing Rhode Island lead screening standards or draft a one-page FAQ for clinicians and parents.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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