Lung Association Applauds Iowa House for Passing Bill to Require Radon Testing in Schools

Today, the Iowa House of Representatives passed HF 2412, the Gail Orcutt School Radon Safety Act, which would require all Iowa public schools to test their attendance centers for radon and if necessary, mitigate radon in their schools. The American Lung Association in Iowa’s Advocacy Director, Kristina Hamilton, issued the following statement about the bill’s passage:

“Radon is an odorless, invisible gas which is the second leading cause of lung cancer. We know that the only way to know if elevated radon is present is to test for it. Since the entire state of Iowa is considered a high-risk zone for radon, it is imperative that we protect our youth and school staff by making sure they are not exposed to this health hazard. The Lung Association thanks state representatives for their support of the almost 500,000 Iowa school children and 37,000 teachers who are at risk of radon exposure.

“This bill is named in honor of Gail Orcutt, who was a retired Iowa teacher and radon safety advocate who lost her battle with radon-induced lung cancer in 2020. The passage of this legislation is a significant step in the right direction to help keep others in Iowa from having to unnecessarily suffer lung cancer and death.”

Under the Gail Orcutt School Radon Safety Act, radon testing needs to be completed by all Iowa public schools by 2027 and repeated at least once every 5 years. The law also requires all new school construction to incorporate radon-resistant construction techniques. The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.