What is Ohio's Plan for Lead?

Lead Questions for Candidates Acton and Ramaswamy

According to the Journal of American Medical Association, Ohio has twice the average rate of children with elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs). Data from the Cleveland Department of Public Health puts Cleveland's percentage of EBLL children at 7 times the national average. Question: When you are governor what steps will you take to reduce the levels of children with EBLL?

This year, Cleveland spent $1M of ARPA funds to improve the lead testing rates of health providers in Cleveland. With that funding Better Health Partners was able to coax health providers to raise the rate of testing of children who from around 55% to 70%. That percentage doesn't count the children who failed to show up for well baby check ups. Question: Under your leadership, what steps will Ohio take to improve the rate of childhood lead testing by health providers.

Ohio's Jobs and Family Services fails to address lead safety in foster care homes, adoptive homes, and home child care programs, WIC and a host of other child health programs. Question: Will you as Governor commission a study of ways in which JFS can make create lead safe environments for ohio's families?

Medicaid requires that all children in their program be tested for lead and provides some grants to Medicaid eligible families. Question: As Governor will you a Medicaid Waiver program to provide treatment, testing, and remediation for Ohio's lead victims? 

There is no safe level of lead exposure. In 2021, when the Centers for Disease Control reduced the reference standard for childhood lead poisoning from 5 micrograms/decilitet to 3.5, many states adopted the new standard. But in Ohio, the Department of Health amended the Administrative code to create a new class of lead exposure (3.5 to 5) in order to maintain the antiquated standard of 10 micrograms/deciliter, so that no additional home testing was required. In 2025, the US Department of HUD adopted the 3.5 standard as the trigger for a home investigation in Federally funded properties. Question: When you are governor will you require the Ohio Department of Health to adopt the CDC reference standard to trigger a home investigation? 

This month Illinois joined the states of Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan in the Great Lakes Lead Belt to adopt a policy of Universal Child Lead Testing.  Ohio requires that health providers to give parents a quiz to determine if their child should be tested for lead. No quiz, no excuses, just test them all.  Question: As Governor, will you adopt an administrative policy that requires all health providers to test all children under the age of six? 

In 2026, the Ohio General Assembly ended the Lead Safe Ohio grant program that provided funds to municipalities to remediate lead poisoned housing. Question: When you are governor, will you restore funding to the Lead Safe Ohio program?

Seventeen states require that school districts and child care centers test their water fixtures for the presence of lead. The Washington Post notes that "In schools, lead often lurks in the building’s plumbing and faucet fixtures, tainting the water long after it leaves the public water utility’s treatment centers." Question: When you are governor will you introduce and pass legislation requiring schools and child care centers to test and replace water fixtures that have lead?

In March 2019, Governor DeWine announced a plan to address childhood lead poisoning in Ohio. One of his 6 goals, only one--a tax abatement for homeowners who spent money to avoid poisoning their own children--was enacted. Question: When you become Governor will you convene a new plan to address the needs of Ohio's children to have a lead safe environment?

Finally, will you as Governor, work with the General Assembly to identify funding to complete lead pipe replacement Ohio House Bill 307 in Ohio? 

Our topics will include:

Ohio Department of Health (ODH)

• Child Lead Testing Standards

• Universal Child Lead Testing

Ohio Medicaid Services (OMS)

Ohio General Assembly: Legislation, budgeting

Governor's office

• 2021 Task Force recommendations: owner tax credits, lead safe registry.

Who's promoting policy at the State House?

August 8, 2024. Washington Post Gift Article. Kids drink contaminated water at schools, but testing for lead isn’t required 

May 18, 2009 The Rise and Fall of Lead Paint Litigation in Ohio State AG Tracker Vol. 1, No. 1, 2009. "Over the last four years, Ohio has experienced a significant amount of activity related to lead paint litigation.  By the start of 2009, however, all the lawsuits filed by Ohio’s cities had been dismissed and only the state attorney general’s case remained.  The Ohio General Assembly passed legislation to control such litigation, which nearly resulted in a constitutional crisis, requiring the Ohio Supreme Court to determine whether the legislation was properly enacted into law. The activity culminated when, in February 2009, Ohio’s newly elected Attorney General, Richard Cordray, voluntarily dismissed the state’s case, effectively ending government-sponsored lead paint litigation in Ohio. "