Governor Chris Sununu signed into law Thursday morning new protections against childhood lead exposure.
At a signing ceremony in Claremont, the Governor championed the public health impact of the new law.
"We will, without a doubt, prevent a lot of children from getting lead poisoning,” he said. “That's a really good thing"
The legislation mandates lead screenings for all one and two year olds. It also lowers the blood-lead level that triggers state intervention.
Sununu was in Claremont for the signing because Claremont's been a leader in pushing for reform on this front. The city schools there instituted a first-of-its-kind testing requirement for young students this fall.
"When one community has a strong voice, it can have a huge positive impact for the rest of the state,” Sununu said.
New Hampshire is a high-risk state for lead poisoning. That's because of its old housing stock. Even the tiniest amount of lead paint, or lead dust, can be toxic to children.
