Alabama 2024 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB14 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	HB14INTRODUCED
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3	3	HB14
4	4	NVE5J8T-1
5	5	By Representative Lipscomb
6	6	RFD: State Government
7	7	First Read: 05-Feb-24
8	8	2024 Regular Session
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14	14	6 ZAK 11/07/2023 NVE5J8T-1 (L) 2023-3415 tgw
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16	16	2024 Regular Session
17	17	SYNOPSIS:
18	18	This bill would require the State Health
19	19	Officer to issue an advisory regarding the consumption
20	20	of fishes when deemed appropriate.
21	21	This bill would require the State Health
22	22	Officer to establish a panel to provide
23	23	recommendations on fish consumption advisories.
24	24	This bill would require the Alabama Department
25	25	of Environmental Management to periodically evaluate
26	26	fishes for pollutants.
27	27	This bill would require the Alabama Department
28	28	of Environmental Management to post signage at public
29	29	boat ramps adjacent to waters with an active fish
30	30	consumption advisory.
31	31	This bill would also require the Department of
32	32	Conservation and Natural Resources to provide access
33	33	to a website for fish consumption advisories with each
34	34	issuance of an electronic fishing license.
35	35	A BILL
36	36	TO BE ENTITLED
37	37	AN ACT
38	38	Relating to consumption of fishes; to require the State
39	39	Health Officer to issue advisories concerning fish consumption
40	40	and to establish a panel to provide recommendations on such
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68	68	28 HB14 INTRODUCED
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70	70	and to establish a panel to provide recommendations on such
71	71	advisories; to require the Alabama Department of Environmental
72	72	Management to test fishes for pollutants and post signage at
73	73	relevant boat ramps notifying of active fish consumption
74	74	advisories; to require the Department of Conservation and
75	75	Natural Resources to provide access to a website for fish
76	76	consumption advisories with the issuance of an electronic
77	77	fishing license.
78	78	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
79	79	Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
80	80	the Safe and Healthy Outdoor Recreation Act.
81	81	Section 2. The Legislature finds and declares all of
82	82	the following:
83	83	(1) Outdoor recreation, including catching, cooking,
84	84	and eating fish is a fundamental way of life for countless
85	85	residents of this state.
86	86	(2) All residents of this state should have the right
87	87	to know whether it is safe to consume the fish they catch.
88	88	(3) Outdoor recreation-related illnesses stemming from
89	89	contact with polluted waters and contaminated fish pose a
90	90	severe public health risk to the residents of this state.
91	91	Section 3. (a) The State Health Officer, in
92	92	consultation with the Director of the Alabama Department of
93	93	Environmental Management, shall issue a fish consumption
94	94	advisory when it is reasonable and necessary to protect public
95	95	health and well-being. The Alabama Department of Public Health
96	96	shall publish the advisory on its website in a clear and
97	97	concise manner and maintain a dedicated telephone number to
98	98	provide information related to the advisory.
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128	128	provide information related to the advisory.
129	129	(b)(1) The State Health Officer shall establish an
130	130	advisory panel to provide recommendations on how best to
131	131	analyze, develop, and implement the issuance of fish
132	132	consumption advisories.
133	133	(2) The panel shall consist of, in a number to be
134	134	determined by the State Health Officer, representatives from
135	135	the Alabama Department of Public Health, the Alabama
136	136	Department of Environmental Management, the Department of
137	137	Conservation and Natural Resources, and any other agency,
138	138	business, nongovernmental organization, or individual the
139	139	State Health Officer determines to be necessary.
140	140	(3) The panel shall meet at least annually and consider
141	141	tissue sampling methodologies, water bodies and fish species
142	142	to be sampled, pollutant toxicity limits, strategies for
143	143	communicating consumption advisories to the public, and any
144	144	other subjects relevant to the issuance of fish consumption
145	145	advisories.
146	146	Section 4. The Alabama Department of Environmental
147	147	Management, in consultation with the Alabama Department of
148	148	Public Health, shall conduct periodic fish tissue monitoring
149	149	to evaluate safe consumption levels of fishes. The Alabama
150	150	Department of Environmental Management shall annually publish
151	151	a report on its website, which shall be made available for
152	152	public comment, detailing and identifying the methodology and
153	153	reasoning for evaluating the species and pollutants chosen.
154	154	Section 5. The Alabama Department of Environmental
155	155	Management shall post signage at any public boat ramp adjacent
156	156	to state waters with an active fish consumption advisory
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186	186	to state waters with an active fish consumption advisory
187	187	providing notice of all active fish consumption advisories in
188	188	that body of water. The signage shall include a telephone
189	189	number for the department and an Internet address and quick
190	190	responses code for a website from which to obtain information
191	191	about fish consumption advisories, water quality, and water
192	192	discharge permits. The Alabama Department of Environmental
193	193	Management may work with any other state agency, political
194	194	subdivision of this state, nongovernmental organization,
195	195	private corporation, or other entity to implement this
196	196	subsection.
197	197	Section 6. The Department of Conservation and Natural
198	198	Resources shall provide an Internet address from which all
199	199	active fish consumption advisories may be accessed with each
200	200	issuance of an electronic fishing license.
201	201	Section 7. This act shall become effective June 1,
202	202	2024.
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