Alabama 2024 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Bill SB45 Compare Versions

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

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1	1	SB45INTRODUCED
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3	3	SB45
4	4	EILS2C9-1
5	5	By Senators Sessions, Williams, Jones, Price, Weaver
6	6	RFD: Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
7	7	First Read: 06-Feb-24
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12	12	5 EILS2C9-1 01/31/2024 ZAK (L)cr 2024-326
13	13	Page 2
14	14	First Read: 06-Feb-24
15	15	SYNOPSIS:
16	16	This bill would require the State Health Officer
17	17	to issue an advisory regarding the consumption of fish
18	18	from waters of this state when deemed appropriate.
19	19	This bill would require the State Health Officer
20	20	to establish a panel to review and approve procedures
21	21	to administer these advisories.
22	22	This bill would require the Alabama Department
23	23	of Environmental Management to post signage at access
24	24	areas adjacent to waters of this state with an active
25	25	fish consumption advisory.
26	26	This bill would also require the Department of
27	27	Conservation and Natural Resources to notify fishing
28	28	license purchasers of active fish consumption
29	29	advisories.
30	30	A BILL
31	31	TO BE ENTITLED
32	32	AN ACT
33	33	Relating to consumption of fishes; to require the State
34	34	Health Officer to issue advisories concerning the consumption
35	35	of fishes; to establish a panel to review and approve methods
36	36	to administer these advisories; to require the Alabama
37	37	Department of Environmental Management to test fishes for
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65	65	28 SB45 INTRODUCED
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67	67	Department of Environmental Management to test fishes for
68	68	pollutants and to post signage at certain water bodies
69	69	notifying of active advisories; and to require the Department
70	70	of Conservation and Natural Resources to notify fishing
71	71	license purchasers of all active advisories.
72	72	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
73	73	Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
74	74	the Safe and Healthy Outdoor Recreation Act of 2024.
75	75	Section 2. The Legislature finds and declares all the
76	76	following:
77	77	(1) That outdoor recreation, including catching,
78	78	cooking, and eating fish, is a fundamental way of life for
79	79	countless residents of this state.
80	80	(2) That all Alabamians should have the right to know
81	81	whether it is safe to consume the fish they catch.
82	82	(3) That illnesses stemming from contact with
83	83	contaminated fish pose a public health risk to the people of
84	84	this state.
85	85	Section 3. (a) The State Health Officer, in
86	86	consultation with the Director of the Alabama Department of
87	87	Environmental Management, shall issue a fish consumption
88	88	advisory when it is reasonable and necessary to protect public
89	89	health and well-being. The Alabama Department of Public Health
90	90	shall publish the advisory on its website in a clear and
91	91	concise manner and maintain a dedicated telephone number to
92	92	provide information related to the advisory.
93	93	(b)(1) The State Health Officer shall establish an
94	94	advisory panel to analyze, develop, and implement the issuance
95	95	of fish consumption advisories. The panel shall consist of
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125	125	of fish consumption advisories. The panel shall consist of
126	126	representatives from all of the following:
127	127	a. The Alabama Department of Public Health.
128	128	b. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
129	129	c. The Department of Conservation and Natural
130	130	Resources.
131	131	d. Any business, conservation and environmental
132	132	nongovernmental organization, or other stakeholder who desires
133	133	to improve the program.
134	134	(2) The panel shall meet no less than twice each year
135	135	and review and approve all of the following:
136	136	a. Tissue sampling methodologies.
137	137	b. Specific water bodies and fish species to be
138	138	sampled.
139	139	c. Pollutant toxicity limits, as proposed by the
140	140	Alabama Department of Public Health, the Alabama Department of
141	141	Environmental Management, and the Department of Conservation
142	142	and Natural Resources.
143	143	d. Strategies for communicating fish consumption
144	144	advisories to the public.
145	145	e. Any other subject relevant to the program.
146	146	Section 4. (a) The Alabama Department of Environmental
147	147	Management, in consultation with the Alabama Department of
148	148	Public Health, shall conduct regular fish tissue monitoring to
149	149	evaluate safe consumption levels of fish species. 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.
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183	183	reasoning for evaluating the species and pollutants chosen.
184	184	(b) The Alabama Department of Environmental Management
185	185	shall post signage at any public boat ramp adjacent to state
186	186	waters with an active fish consumption advisory notifying the
187	187	public of this fact. The signage shall include a telephone
188	188	number for the department, an Internet address, and a quick
189	189	response code for a website from which to obtain information
190	190	about fish consumption advisories, water quality, and water
191	191	discharge permits. The Alabama Department of Environmental
192	192	Management may consult with other state agencies, political
193	193	subdivisions of this state, nongovernmental organizations,
194	194	private corporations, or any other organization to implement
195	195	this subsection.
196	196	Section 5. The Department of Conservation and Natural
197	197	Resources, with each issuance of an electronic fishing
198	198	license, shall notify the licensee of current fish consumption
199	199	advisories by providing an Internet address to access all
200	200	active advisories online.
201	201	Section 6. This act shall become effective October 1,
202	202	2024.
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