3-30-2007 Update

Here is what happened this week.

HB1425 - Illinois Radon Awareness Act

3-27-07 Arrived in Senate
Chief Senate Sponsor – Donne E. Trotter – Majority Caucus Whip

3-28-07 First Senate Reading
Referred to Rules Committee

3-30-07 Assigned to Housing and Community Affairs Committee


HB1660 – Radon Awareness Month

3-27-07 Arrived in Senate
Placed on Calendar - Order of First Reading

3-28-2007 Request for Lobbyist Assistance

Dear Radon Professionals:

Help Support Groundbreaking State Legislation in Illinois…

House Bill 1425.

Increase the rate of radon testing by supporting the passage of this ground breaking effort at state radon legislation. The first major policy movement regarding radon that we’ve seen in the United States since the passage of the Indoor Radon Abatement Act over 20 years ago!

House Bill 1425 is a radon notification bill that has already passed the Illinois House and is headed to the State Senate. It has the support of many stakeholders, including groups within the home inspection and real estate industry. This model legislation will increase the number of home tested and mitigated in the great state of Illinois.

Kudos to the AARST Mid-West Chapter for getting this legislation this far along!

We Need 10 Companies and 100 individuals to raise $10,000 to help support our Legislative Affairs efforts.

We need your help in getting this legislation passed!

As the nuts and bolts of seeing legislation through to a successful bill signing requires sheparding the bill through the Illinois legislature with the professional services of legal counsel and perhaps a registered lobbyist.

Can we count on Illinois radon professionals to contribute from $75 up to $100 each into a legislative affairs fund – in a challenge match program?

Can we count on radon supply companies, labs and manufacturers to Match every $500 raised by individuals and small partnerships with $100 of contributions up to a $500 total for each national or regional company?

May we count on support from you and your firm ?

Please pledge by this Friday at close of business by emailing me back.

Please support this effort – even if you are not in Illinois! Why? If we are successful, this groundbreaking legislation could be the initial grassroots movement that could be duplicated in many states throughout the country!

Donates should be made out to AARST-ARPC and will be dedicated solely to the Illinois effort. Your contribution is not tax deductible. It will be recognized as advertising income – as all contributors will be recognized in a special edition of the annual Symposium Program. Pledge by return email and mail your contribution to: AARST – Illinois Project, P.O. Box 2109, Fletcher, NC 28732

Radon Professionals – Working Together To Save Lives!

Sincerely yours,

Peter Hendrick
Executive Director, AARST603-756-9259

3-22-2007 Update

The Illinois House passed both House Bills 1425 and 1660 today. Both bills passed unanimously. HB1425 creates the Illinois Radon Awareness Act and HB1660 designates January as Radon Awareness Month. We now start the process in the Senate.

We need you to contact your Senator to get his support of the bills.

3-13- 2007 Update

House bills 1425 and 1660 received second readings in the Illinois House today and are on the calendar for third reading.

Illinois Radon Legislation

Proposed Legislation

There currently are two active bills in the Illinois House of Representatives regarding radon.

HB1425 creates the Illinois Radon Awareness Act.
HB 1660 designates January as Radon Awareness Month. Hopefully, this bill will be amended to read Radon Action Month.

You can follow progress of these bills at the following links:

HB1425

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=1425&GAID=9&GA=95&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=30215&SessionID=51

HB1660

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus_pf.asp?DocNum=1660&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=30474&GAID=9&SessionID=51&GA=95

Link to legislators

If you aren’t sure who your legislative contacts are or need the address, this link will provide that information.

http://www.elections.state.il.us/DistrictLocator/AddressSearch.aspx

Proposed letter to legislators

Here is a sample letter that you can copy and paste onto your letter head.


Two bills, House Bill 1425, Illinois Radon Awareness Act, and House Bill 1660, Radon Action Month were unanimously voted out of the Environmental Health Committee on March 6, 2007.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. EPA estimates that there are approximately 22,000 radon related deaths per year due to radon induced lung cancer.

Passage of these bills will greatly increase awareness regarding this important public health and safety issue.


The following acknowledgements regarding this legislation are due:

Gloria Linnertz for her tireless efforts in initiating this legislation.

Bill sponsors and co-sponsors: Representatives Dan Reitz, Karen May, Karen A. Yarbrough, Brandon W. Pheleps, Patrick J. Verschoore, Daniel V. Beiser, David Reis, and Elizabeth Coulson.

Illinois Association of Realtors and Illinois Home Inspectors Association for assistance in drafting bill.


Your support of this legislation is requested and greatly appreciated.


Possible Letter To Senator

House Bills 1425 and 1660 are currently under consideration in the House.

House Bill 1425 creates the Illinois Radon Awareness Act.
House Bill 1660 designates January as Radon Awareness Month.

Both of these bills address a serious public health and safety issue in the State of Illinois. In the Western suburbs, approximately 45% of the houses have radon in excess of the 4.0 pCi/L action level.

The amended House Bill 1425 was jointly written by Representative Dan Reitz, the Illinois Association of Realtors and the Illinois Home Inspectors Association. It is currently Co-Sponsored by five additional Representatives with Representative Karen May as Chief Co-Sponsor.

Assuming that these Bills pass out of the House, I am asking that you support and shepherd these Bills through the Senate.

If you have any questions regarding radon, please contact me.