Requires the department of health to create and issue a five-year plan with its proposals to best mitigate the persistence of lead in school water across the…

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic7
• Republican1

This bill has cosponsors from more than one party.

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Siela Bynoe says this is needed

According to a December 2025 announcement from the New York State Department of Health, dozens of Long Island school districts identified lead in their drinking water over the past year. While concerning, subsequent reporting revealed that these figures significantly under- state the scope of the issue. On February 27, 2026, Newsday reported that nearly 3,000 drinking water fixtures, including fountains, sinks, and ice machines, across Long Island schools exceeded the State's action level for lead, while the Department of Health's public database reflected only approximately 1,200 positive tests. Although many of these fixtures have since been remediated, replaced, or taken out of service, the discrepancy highlights a broader failure to provide school communities, including students, parents, educators, and staff, with transparent and accurate information necessary to fully understand and respond to potential exposure risks. This lack of clarity is particularly concerning given that the World Health Organization identifies lead as a neurotoxin that can cause learning disabilities, behavioral issues, and, in severe cases, permanent brain damage in chil- dren, who are especially vulnerable. In the interest of supporting the health of students and school staff across New York State, this bill seeks to address these gaps by mandat- ing forward-looking planning to ensure greater transparency, account- ability, and prevention of lead exposure in school water systems state- wide.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.