BILL NO. 26

(as introduced)

3rd Session, 58th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
52 Elizabeth II, 2003

Private Member's Bill

Education Act (amended)

Bill Estabrooks
Timberlea-Prospect

First Reading: April 2, 2003

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

This Bill requires the Minister of Education to conduct, within one year of the coming into force of this Bill, a baseline assessment of air and drinking-water quality in all schools and requires the Minister to report the results of the assessment to occupational health and safety committees in schools and to parents.

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 Chapter 1 of the Acts of 1995-96, the Education Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 141 the following Section:

141A (1) Notwithstanding any enactment but subject to subsection (5), the Minister shall, within one year of the coming into force of this Section, conduct a baseline assessment of the quality of the drinking-water supply and indoor air in each educational facility and, within twenty working days of completing the assessment, report the results to the joint occupational health and safety committee and the parents of the student population within each facility.

(2) The baseline assessment referred to in subsection (1) shall be conducted by a co-ordinated team of professionals competent to perform the assessment with reference to all relevant published guidelines, standards and codes including, but not limited to,

(a) Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, Sixth Edition (Health Canada);

(b) Canada's National Ambient Air Quality Objectives (Health Canada);

(c) Exposure Guidelines for Residential Indoor Air Quality (Health Canada);

(d) the most recent Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality Standards (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers); and

(e) any other recognized guidelines, standards and codes.

(3) Where the baseline assessment uses guidelines, standards and codes developed with reference to adults, precautions shall be taken to ensure the needs of children are appropriately considered.

(4) The Minister shall

(a) report the results of the baseline assessment with sufficient detail and explanation to permit informed discussion;

(b) provide a full opportunity for the joint occupational health and safety committee and the parents to discuss the results;

(c) devise an effective action plan including required remediation measures, on-going assessment and the adoption of practices and procedures according to a schedule recommended by the assessment team in consultation with the joint occupational health and safety committee and parents; and

(d) table a summary report of all assessment reports and action plans with the House of Assembly if the House is sitting and, if the House is not sitting, table the assessment reports and action plans with the Clerk of the House.

(5) The moneys required for the purpose of this Section shall be paid out of moneys appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.