2023 House Bill 4342 / Public Act 155

House Fiscal Agency Analysis

Taken together, House Bills 4341 and 4342 and Senate Bill 88 would require schools and child care centers to develop a drinking water management plan within fifteen months after the bills take effect and update the plan at least every five years. The plan would specify the locations of water outlets, by water use and type of filtration, and regular replacement of filter cartridges. Water would have to be tested every year (schools) or two years (child care centers), and water could be provided for drinking only if the presence of lead was shown to be below specified levels. The bills include signage, notification, and reporting requirements. By the end of the 2025-2026 school year, outlets in schools providing water for human consumption would have to be either a filtered bottle-filling station or filtered faucet. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) would have advisory responsibilities under the bills, and EGLE or its representative would have to create a program to assist schools and child care centers in meeting the bills’ requirements.