We have made great strides in reducing the number of children suffering from lead poisoning in Maryland.

Under compromise legislation that I introduced and Governor Schaefer signed, property owners are required to reduce the risk of a child being exposed to lead paint. However, they do not have to remove all lead paint from a rental unit.

Compliance with that law is the reason why fewer children are being poisoned – and damaged for life.

But not every at-risk property meets the law’s standards.

A lead inspection company and two of its inspectors certified properties as lead-free despite testing that showed they were not, according to a lawsuit recently filed by the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Attorney General Frosh.

I am considering what steps should be taken to prevent such violations.

If a landlord files an action to repossess a property because the tenant has failed to pay the rent, that landlord should have to provide evidence that the property complies with all lead safety requirements. That is not the case under current law.

House Bill 491 would forbid landlords’ use of the courts to put tenants on the streets if the landlords themselves cannot demonstrate compliance with the lead risk reduction law.

Lastly, the vast majority of schools in the state have reported lead levels over the federally suggested limit of 20 parts per billion in at least one fixture, most often a water fountain.

House Bill 457 would require lead testing in school buildings at least once every 18 months. Our children deserve at least this level of attention to their health.