LEAD SINKER EDUCATION ACT

AN ACT relative to establishing a lead education program concerning the effects of lead on loons and other water birds and other wildlife.

Section 1. Short Title.

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the “Lead Sinker Education Act.”

Section 2. Findings and Declarations.

The Legislature finds and declares the following:

(A) The wildlife of <insert state here> is a valuable natural resource and an integral part of the economic and social fabric of our citizenry;

(B) A review of available literature and research indicates that lead sinkers and jigs pose a significant hazard to water birds that mistakenly ingest lead sinkers and jigs and experience lead poisoning;

(C) Lead is a toxic metal known to cause many health problems in water birds, increasing susceptibility to disease, predation, and infection. A single sinker can cause death within two weeks;

(D) Lead has been linked to human health problems, including brain damage, mental retardation, behavior problems, anemia, liver and kidney damage, hearing loss, hyperactivity, developmental delays, other physical and mental problems and, in extreme cases, death. Lower IQ scores, slower development, and more attention problems have been observed in children exposed to lead;

(E) Lead sinkers are small and easily swallowed, posing a toxic hazard to children.
Furthermore, many anglers make their own sinkers or make sinkers in their home for sale to others. If proper precautions are not used, lead vapors and dust can impact anyone within the household; and

(F) Effective and comparably-priced alternatives to lead sinkers and jigs exist and it is imperative to educate the public about the dangers and encourage anglers to use non-toxic alternatives.

Section 3. Definitions.

For the purposes of this Act, the terms below are defined as follows:

(A) “Lead jig” means any lead weighted fishing hook that measures less than one and one-half inches along its longest axis.

(B) “Lead sinker” means any lead device designed to be attached to fishing line for the purpose of sinking the line, the lead portion of which has a mass of one ounce or less.

Section 4. Provisions of Education Program.

(A) To discourage the use of lead, the <insert Department of Natural Resources or other appropriate state agency>, in consultation with the <insert Department of Education or other appropriate state agency>, shall institute an educational program consisting of, but not limited to, distribution of press releases and/or articles to news media, an informational brochure for distribution by licensed agents and at department-sponsored training programs, videos for use by television outlets, posters for boat access kiosks and other bulletin boards, and a mobile display for use at public events.

(B) The purpose of the educational program is to inform the public about adverse, though unintentional, effects of lead on wildlife; ways to reduce the introduction of lead into the environment through personal action; the potential risk to public health from working with lead; and, the availability of alternatives to lead jigs and sinkers.

(C) The program shall be established within 1 year from the effective date of the Act.

(D) The <insert appropriate state departments or agencies here> may request appropriations from the Legislature to support this program.

Section 5. Effective Date.

The provisions of this Act shall be effective on <insert date>.