Students conduct legislative briefing on lead poisoning bill
Makenzie Palladino and Clark Edwards, both Environmental Analysis & Policy majors and students in GE 532 (Research for Environmental Agencies & Organizations), gave a presentation on April 11 at the Massachusetts State House on S.955/H.1491, An Act to Enhance Justice for Families Harmed by Lead, in the House Members meeting room. They were introduced by the bill’s sponsors, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Pat Jehlen, and Representative David LeBoeuf, and aided in their effort by a video made by Biology major Kai Medina.
Instructor Rick Reibstein, who authored the bill, moderated a discussion following the presentation that included statements by legal and public health experts supporting the need to give victims of poisoning a chance to argue in court that those who placed lead in products, knowing exposures would result, should be held accountable. The video and the presentations garnered applause and led to discussion of holding consolidated hearings on the various bills currently in the legislature pertaining to lead.
The students also presented on April 12 at the annual Fair Housing and Civil Rights conference in Springfield, MA.