2025 SESSION

INTRODUCED

24101241D

HOUSE BILL NO. 33

Offered January 10, 2024

Prefiled December 18, 2023

A BILL to require the Commissioner of Health to convene a work group to study the occurrence of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water; report.

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Patrons—Clark, Anthony, Askew, Bennett-Parker, Callsen, Cohen, Convirs-Fowler, Cousins, Gardner, Green, Henson, Jones, Keys-Gamarra, Krizek, Lopez, Maldonado, Martinez, Mundon King, Rasoul, Seibold, Shin, Simon, Simonds, Thomas and Willett; Senators: Boysko, Hashmi, Locke, McPike and Salim

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Referred to Committee on Rules

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Commissioner of Health shall convene a work group to study the occurrence of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water and develop recommendations for the reduction of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water. Such work group shall include representatives of waterworks owners and operators, including owners and operators of community waterworks, private companies that operate waterworks, advocacy groups representing owners and operators of waterworks, consumers of public drinking water, and such other stakeholders as the Commissioner of Health shall deem appropriate. The Office of Drinking Water of the Department of Health shall provide administrative and technical support for the work group. In completing its work, the work group shall (i) determine current levels of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water; (ii) identify possible sources of such contamination; (iii) evaluate existing approaches to reducing microplastics in drinking water, including regulatory approaches adopted by other states and the federal government; and (iv) develop recommendations for the reduction of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water. The work group shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and Education and Health by December 1, 2024.