§ 1370-b. Advisory council on lead poisoning prevention. 1. The New
York state advisory council on lead poisoning prevention is hereby
established in the department, to consist of the following, or their
designees: the commissioner; the commissioner of labor; the commissioner
of environmental conservation; the commissioner of housing and community
renewal; the commissioner of children and family services; the
commissioner of temporary and disability assistance; the secretary of
state; and fifteen public members appointed by the governor. The public
members shall have a demonstrated expertise or interest in lead
poisoning prevention and at least one public member shall be
representative of each of the following: local government; community
groups; labor unions; real estate; industry; parents; educators; local
housing authorities; child health advocates; environmental groups;
professional medical organizations and hospitals. The public members of
the council shall have fixed terms of three years; except that five of
the initial appointments shall be for two years and five shall be for
one year. The council shall be chaired by the commissioner or his or her
designee.

2. Members of the advisory council shall serve without compensation
for their services, except that each of them may be allowed necessary
and actual expenses which he or she shall incur in the performance of
his or her duties under this article.

3. A majority of the appointed voting membership of the council shall
constitute a quorum.

4. The council shall meet as often as may be deemed necessary to
fulfill its responsibilities. The council shall have the following
powers and duties:

(a) To develop a comprehensive statewide plan to prevent lead
poisoning and to minimize the risk of human exposure to lead;

(b) To coordinate the activities of its member agencies with respect
to environmental lead policy and the statewide plan;

(c) To recommend the adoption of policies with regard to the detection
and elimination of lead hazards in the environment;

(d) To recommend the adoption of policies with regard to the
identification and management of children with elevated lead levels;

(e) To recommend the adoption of policies with regard to education and
outreach strategies related to lead exposure, detection, and risk
reduction;

(f) To comment on regulations of the department under this title when
the council deems appropriate;

(g) To make recommendations to ensure the qualifications of persons
performing inspection and abatement of lead through a system of
licensure and certification or otherwise;

(h) To recommend strategies for funding the lead poisoning prevention
program, including but not limited to ways to enhance the funding of
screening through insurance coverage and other means, and ways to
financially assist property owners in abating environmental lead, such
as tax credits, loan funds, and other approaches; and

(i) To report on or before December first of each year to the governor
and the legislature concerning the previous year's development and
implementation of the statewide plan and operation of the program,
together with recommendations it deems necessary and the most currently
available lead surveillance measures, including the actual number and
estimated percentage of children tested for lead in accordance with New
York state regulations, including age-specific testing requirements, and
the actual number and estimated percentage of children identified with
elevated blood lead levels. Such report shall be made available on the
department's website.