Ohio Children's Budget Coaliton
Overview of the OCBC
CBC members have developed 15 policy briefs of recommendations for Governor Mike DeWine, his administration, the Ohio legislature, and state leaders to consider in the 2022-2023 budget biennium.
Five Budget Recommendations
The policy brief on Child Lead Poisoning was authored by OLFKC. Focusing on the theme of “Protecting Children and Creating Jobs,” OLFKC has five budget recommendations:
1. Provide more funding for Lead Abatement. Double the total dollars ($20 million over the biennium) for SCHIP HIS Lead Hazard Control Program. Require at least 50% of the funding support the Phase 2 primary prevention track which targets pre-1978 housing units prior to a child having an Elevated Blood Lead Level (EBLL).
2. Protect children during renovation. Shift oversight authority for the US EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule from the US EPA to the Ohio Department of Health and provide funding to start the program.
3. Preserve local grants. Sustain innovation and public-private partnership through local lead prevention efforts, including Cleveland’s Lead Safe Home Program and Toledo’s Historic South program.
4. Provide seed money for lead fund. Create dedicated GRF funding for the Ohio Lead Poisoning Prevention Fund in the Ohio Department of Health ($4 million). This fund, created in state law in 2003, would allow Ohio to set its own priorities for primary prevention and could be an avenue to foster public-private funding partnerships throughout the state.
5. Replace lead service lines. Allocate one third of H2Ohio funding to the Ohio EPA for clean, safe drinking water and approximately $15 million to local governments and public utilities for lead-safe and affordable water for Ohioans.