Dakota County grant funding provided to study lead exposure, and money appropriated.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bianca Virnig

Dakota County receives a state-funded grant to conduct a health study on lead exposure, sources, impacts, and protective actions for residents, especially vulnerable groups.

Introduction and first reading, referred to Health Finance and Policy

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What the bill does

HF 4850 would authorize a general fund appropriation in fiscal year 2027 to fund a grant from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to the Dakota County board for Dakota County Public Health.

The purpose of the grant is to conduct a community health study on lead exposure among Dakota County residents.

Key provisions and changes

Funding and source

New appropriation: an unspecified dollar amount ($...) in FY 2027 from the general fund.
Administered by: Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), with a grant to the Dakota County Public Health program.

Scope of the study
The study may address:

Sources of lead emissions in Dakota County and whether any emissions exceeded air quality standards or water quality standards for lead during the previous 24 months.
Impacts on blood lead levels among Dakota County residents, focusing on:
- Children under age six
- Pregnant women
- Individuals living within one mile of a lead-emitting source that exceeded air quality standards in the previous 24 months
Mitigation and protection steps at both county and state levels to protect residents from exposure and to mitigate risks from elevated lead emissions.

Data and technical assistance

The Commissioner of Health may provide technical assistance for the study upon request by Dakota County Public Health.
The Commissioner must make available de-identified data from the blood lead surveillance system (per Minn. Stat. § 144.9502) to support the study, subject to confidentiality requirements.

Who is affected

Dakota County residents: The study targets exposure sources and health impacts, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable groups (young children, pregnant women, and residents near lead emission sources).

Dakota County Public Health: Receives the grant and leads the study in coordination with MDH.

State agencies: MDH (administers the grant and can provide technical assistance) and potentially other state entities involved in air and water quality standards and lead exposure surveillance.

Procedural/timeline aspects

Introduction and referrals: The bill was introduced and referred to the Health Finance and Policy committee on 2026-04-07.

Effective timeline: The appropriation is specified for fiscal year 2027; the exact grant amount is to be determined (designated as a placeholder "$.......").

Data handling: Uses de-identified blood lead surveillance data, aligning with state statutes on protecting privacy and confidentiality.

Additional notes

The bill includes no other appropriations or policy changes beyond this targeted study funding.

The sponsor listed is Co-sponsor Bianca Virnig.

This summary highlights the bill’s intent to fund and govern a health study in Dakota County focused on lead exposure, its sources, health impacts, and protective actions, with data support from state surveillance systems and possible technical assistance from MDH.

Bill