House File 2399 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2399 BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2070) A BILL FOR An Act relating to an indoor mold information and public 1 awareness program. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5833HV (1) 90 pf/ko

H.F. 2399 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 135.39F Indoor mold public 1 information and awareness program. 2 1. As used in this section, “indoor mold” means any 3 form of multi-cellular fungi, including but not limited to 4 cladosporium, penicillium, alternaria, aspergillus, fusarium, 5 trichoderma, memnoniella, mucor, and stachybotrys chartarum, 6 found in damp or water-damaged indoor environments and building 7 materials. 8 2. The department shall establish an indoor mold public 9 information and awareness program to assist the public in 10 understanding the threat of indoor mold found in indoor 11 environments and the importance of the proper removal of indoor 12 mold. As part of the program, the department shall do all of 13 the following: 14 a. Beginning July 1, 2024, review the adverse effects 15 to humans from exposure to indoor mold found in damp and 16 water-damaged indoor environments. In reviewing the adverse 17 effects, the department shall consult with medical research 18 institutions and organizations with expertise in the adverse 19 effects of such exposure. The department shall submit a report 20 of its findings and recommendations to the general assembly by 21 June 30, 2025. 22 b. Every five years, beginning July 1, 2025, review 23 technology or treatment techniques for indoor mold 24 identification and remediation that provide additional 25 protections to public health and safety. The review performed 26 shall include an examination of any new scientific evidence 27 that indicates that indoor mold may present a greater health 28 risk to the public than previously determined. The department 29 shall submit a report to the general assembly following 30 completion of each review, including the findings of and 31 recommendations for additional protections for the public 32 health and safety based on the review. 33 c. Establish a public information and awareness campaign 34 on the dangers of indoor mold and damp or water-damaged 35 -1- LSB 5833HV (1) 90 pf/ko 1/ 3

H.F. 2399 indoor environments. The campaign shall educate the public on 1 the health effects of indoor mold in damp and water-damaged 2 buildings and building materials, and on the methods of 3 identifying and remediating indoor mold, and shall provide 4 contact information for organizations or government agencies 5 that assist the public with indoor mold concerns. 6 3. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A, 7 including the requirements and procedures for the five-year 8 review and the parameters for the public information and 9 awareness campaign, and any other rules necessary to administer 10 this section. 11 EXPLANATION 12 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 13 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 14 This bill relates to an indoor mold public information and 15 awareness program. The bill defines “indoor mold” for the 16 purposes of the bill to include any form of multi-cellular 17 fungi found in damp or water-damaged indoor environments and 18 building materials. 19 The bill requires the department of health and human 20 services (HHS) to establish an indoor mold public information 21 and awareness program to assist the public in understanding the 22 threat of indoor mold in indoor environments and the importance 23 of the proper removal of indoor mold. As part of the program, 24 the department shall: beginning July 1, 2024, review the 25 adverse effects to humans from exposure to indoor mold in 26 damp and water-damaged indoor environments by consulting 27 with medical research institutions and organizations with 28 expertise in the adverse effects of such exposure, and submit a 29 report including findings and recommendations to the general 30 assembly by June 30, 2025; every five years, beginning July 31 1, 2025, review technology or treatment techniques for indoor 32 mold identification and remediation that provide additional 33 protections to public health and safety, and submit a report 34 to the general assembly following completion of each review; 35 -2- LSB 5833HV (1) 90 pf/ko 2/ 3

H.F. 2399 and establish a public information and awareness campaign on 1 the dangers of indoor mold and damp or water-damaged indoor 2 environments to educate the public on the health effects of 3 indoor mold, the methods of identifying and remediating indoor 4 mold, and providing contact information for sources to assist 5 the public with concerns regarding indoor mold. The bill 6 directs HHS to adopt administrative rules to administer the 7 bill. 8 -3- LSB 5833HV (1) 90 pf/ko 3/ 3