Get the lead out: A bipartisan victory for Montana

There are a few things that Montanans of all political persuasions can agree on, and one of them is doing what we can to assure the safety of our kids, and giving them the best start possible for what we hope is a happy, bright and productive future. As a legislator, I am pleased to have advocated and voted in the House of Representatives for proper funding for public education and also for programs aimed at helping keep our children healthy and safe.

One such important effort that was successful during the recently completed legislative session was my amendment to House Bill 5 to invest $3.7 million in a statewide program to eliminate lead in the drinking water systems of our schools. Exposure to lead can seriously harm a child’s health, including damage to the brain and nervous system, slower growth and development, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech difficulties. Exposure to lead creates such a significant health hazard, even at low levels, that the federal government’s maximum containment level goal is zero.

Montana’s problem with lead in schools is serious, especially for older school buildings. It was recently reported that fully 74% of schools in our state that submitted water samples tested positive for high lead levels in at least one drinking fountain or faucet. We can certainly do better than that, especially given the serious and known health consequences for children who are exposed to lead in drinking water.

While I may have significant differences with my colleagues from the other side of the aisle when it comes to policy considerations in a number of areas, budgeting $3.7 million to help school districts remove lead from their drinking water systems passed with a large bipartisan vote in the House and remained in the budget throughout the process. This is a great example where finding common ground and working in a bipartisan fashion is still possible in a political system that has become far too divided.

Helping remove hazardous lead from our schools is good policy, but can also be a good starting point to find other common sense solutions to move Montana forward in a positive, bipartisan way. If we can do it with this issue, what other areas can we find agreement on? Let’s get started!

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Rep. Paul Tuss represents House District 28 in the Montana House of Representatives, which includes Havre and Hill County. He served on the House Appropriations Committee, including the Long Range Planning Subcommittee.