Signed by Governor Phil Murphy

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases state laws protecting residential tenants from lead-based paint hazards in New Jersey.

Highlights:

• Amends previous legislation that requires inspections of certain residential rental properties for lead-based paint hazards (Sec. 1-3).

• Repeals a section of the "Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law (HDML)" which required the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to inspect single-family and two-family rental dwellings for lead-based paint hazards (Sec. 1-3).

• Extends validity of a lead-safe certification to 3 years so the certification period will run together with lead inspection timeframes (Sec. 1-3).

• Requires a municipality to deliver to DCA a list identifying each dwelling unit inspected, and each dwelling unit determined to contain a lead-based paint hazard (Sec. 1-3).

• Requires DCA to submit an annual report to the Legislature indicating the number of inspected dwelling units identified to have lead-based paint hazards within each county (Sec. 1-3).

• Authorizes the Department of Health to adopt other blood-lead level standards, and empowers DCA to identify other data appropriate for distinguishing whether an inspection must include a dust-wipe sampling or may be accomplished through a visual inspection (Sec. 1-3).

• Repeals a provision of current law that provides for lead-based paint inspections by DCA as part of the 5-year cyclical inspection process and another related provision that currently requires property owners to provide evidence of a valid lead-safe certification at the time of the HMDL inspection (Sec. 1-3).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text