House File 731 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 731 BY HAYES A BILL FOR An Act relating to mold remediation. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 2575YH (3) 91 dg/ko
H.F. 731 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 136E.1 Definitions. 1 For purposes of this chapter, unless the context otherwise 2 requires: 3 1. Department means the department of health and human 4 services. 5 2. Direct supervisor means an individual who is physically 6 present during on-site mold remediation and is immediately 7 available to direct, instruct, and oversee the activities of 8 other individuals. 9 3. Mold means any form of multicellular fungi often 10 found in water-damaged indoor environments and building 11 materials, and including cladosporium, penicillium, alternaria, 12 aspergillus, fusarium, trichoderma, memnoniella, mucor, and 13 stachybotrys chartarum. 14 4. Third-party certification means a mold remediation 15 certification offered by any of the following: 16 (1) The institute of inspection cleaning and restoration 17 certification. 18 (2) The national organization of remediators and microbial 19 inspectors. 20 (3) An organization, approved by the department of 21 inspections, appeals, and licensing by rule, that has standards 22 related to mold remediation similar to the entities in 23 subparagraphs (1) and (2). 24 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 136E.2 Mold remediation. 25 1. A person shall not perform mold remediation unless 26 the persons process for mold remediation complies with the 27 ANSI/IICRC S520 standard for professional mold remediation, 28 or a similar standard as identified by the department of 29 inspections, appeals, and licensing. 30 2. The department of inspections, appeals, and licensing 31 shall establish a registry for entities that provide mold 32 remediation services. An entity applying to register in the 33 registry shall be required to provide proof that a direct 34 supervisor employed by the entity holds a current third-party 35 -1- LSB 2575YH (3) 91 dg/ko 1/ 4
H.F. 731 certification. 1 3. The department of inspections, appeals, and licensing 2 shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to implement this 3 section, including but not limited to rules that allow the 4 department to access the registry established in subsection 5 2 for the purpose of performing the departments duties in 6 section 136E.3. 7 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 136E.3 Mold public awareness 8 campaign. 9 1. The department shall, in consultation with appropriate 10 agencies and organizations, establish a mold public awareness 11 campaign to assist the public in understanding the threat of 12 mold in indoor environments, and the importance of removing 13 mold. As part of the program, the department shall do all of 14 the following: 15 a. Disseminate information to the public via brochures 16 and the departments internet site relating to the treatment 17 of mold in indoor environments and the importance of removing 18 mold. 19 b. Provide the public with contact information for 20 organizations or government agencies that can provide 21 information pertaining to the health effects of mold, mold 22 testing methods, or accredited industry standards for the 23 remediation of mold. 24 c. Once every five years, collaborate with the department 25 of inspections, appeals, and licensing to review technology 26 and treatment techniques for mold remediation that provide 27 additional protections for public health and safety. 28 2. On or before January 31 of each year, the department 29 shall submit a report to the general assembly concerning all 30 of the following: 31 a. New scientific evidence concerning health effects 32 associated with mold, or water damage, in indoor environments, 33 including the effects on air quality standards. 34 b. Changes in state and federal law that establish standards 35 -2- LSB 2575YH (3) 91 dg/ko 2/ 4
H.F. 731 for training, certifying, or licensing persons providing mold 1 remediation services in residential, public, or commercial 2 buildings. 3 3. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A 4 to implement this section. 5 EXPLANATION 6 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 7 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 8 This bill relates to mold remediation. 9 The bill defines direct supervisor as an individual who 10 is physically present during on-site mold remediation and is 11 immediately available to direct, instruct, and oversee the 12 activities of other individuals. 13 The bill defines mold as any form of multicellular fungi 14 often found in water-damaged indoor environments and building 15 materials. 16 The bill defines third-party certification as a mold 17 remediation certification offered by the institute of 18 inspection cleaning and restoration certification; the national 19 organization of remediators and microbial inspectors; or an 20 organization with similar standards that has been approved by 21 the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (DIAL) 22 by rule. 23 The bill prohibits a person from performing mold remediation 24 unless the mold remediation complies with the ANSI/IICRC S520 25 standard for professional mold remediation, or a similar 26 standard as identified by DIAL. 27 The bill requires DIAL to establish a registry for entities 28 that provide mold remediation services. An entity applying 29 to register in the registry must provide proof that a direct 30 supervisor employed by the entity holds a current third-party 31 certification. The bill requires DIAL to adopt rules to 32 implement the bill, and to provide the department of health and 33 human services (HHS) access to the registry for the purpose 34 of carrying out duties related to the mold public awareness 35 -3- LSB 2575YH (3) 91 dg/ko 3/ 4
H.F. 731 campaign (campaign). 1 The bill requires HHS, in consultation with appropriate 2 agencies and organizations, to establish a campaign to assist 3 the public in understanding the threat of mold in indoor 4 environments, and the importance of removing mold. The bill 5 details actions HHS must take as part of the program. 6 The bill requires HHS, on or before January 31 of each year, 7 to submit a report to the general assembly that includes new 8 scientific evidence concerning health effects associated with 9 mold or water damage in indoor environments, including the 10 effects on air quality standards, and changes in state and 11 federal law that establish standards for training, certifying, 12 or licensing persons providing mold remediation services in 13 residential, public, or commercial buildings. 14 -4- LSB 2575YH (3) 91 dg/ko 4/ 4