A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION OF persons PERFORMING LEAD‑BASED PAINT RENOVATION WORK IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AND CHILD‑OCCUPIED FACILITIES; AND TO REQUIRE ACCREDITATION OF renovation TRAINers and renovation training COURSES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Chapter 130A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"Article 19B.
"Certification and Accreditation of Lead‑Based Paint Renovation Activities.
"§ 130A‑453.12.  Definitions.(a)	Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section and in any rules adopted under this Article, the definitions set out in 40 C.F.R. §§ 745.83 and 745.223, as amended, apply throughout this Article.
(b)	Unless otherwise required by the context, the following definitions apply throughout this Article:
(1)	Certified dust sampling technician. – An individual who (i) is employed by a certified renovation firm, (ii) has successfully completed a dust sampling technician training course accredited by the Department, and (iii) is certified by the Department to perform dust clearance sampling after the completion of renovation activities, if the person contracting for the renovation activity requests dust clearance sampling.
(2)	Certified renovation firm. – A company, partnership, corporation, sole proprietorship, association, or other business entity or individual doing business in the State, or a federal, State, tribal, or local government agency, or a nonprofit organization that has been certified by the Department to perform renovation activities covered by this Article.
(3)	Certified renovator. – An individual who (i) is employed by a certified renovation firm, (ii) either performs or directs trained workers who perform renovation activities, (iii) has successfully completed a renovation training course accredited by the Department or the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and (iv) is certified with the Department to perform renovation activities.
(4)	Child‑occupied facility. – A building, or portion of a building, constructed prior to 1978, visited regularly by the same child under 6 years of age, on at least two different days within any week (Sunday through Saturday period), provided that each day's visit lasts at least three hours and the combined weekly visits last at least six hours, and the combined annual visits last at least 60 hours. Child‑occupied facilities may include, but are not limited to, day care centers, preschools, and kindergarten classrooms. Child‑occupied facilities may be located in target housing or in public or commercial buildings. With respect to common areas in public or commercial buildings, the child‑occupied facility encompasses those common areas, both interior and exterior, routinely used by children under age 6.
(5)	Renovation activities. – The activities relative to lead‑based paint renovations including the use of recognized lead test kits, information distribution, work practices such as cleaning verification and dust clearance sampling, as well as the activities performed by a certified firm, certified renovator, or certified dust sampling technician. Renovation activities include all activities included in the definition of the term 'renovation' in 40 C.F.R. § 745.83. 
(6)	Target housing – Any housing constructed prior to 1978, except housing for the elderly or persons with disabilities, unless one or more children age 6 years or under resides or is expected to reside in such housing for the elderly or persons with disabilities, or any zero‑bedroom dwelling. For purposes of this Article, a zero‑bedroom dwelling is any residential dwelling in which the living areas are not separated from the sleeping area. The term includes efficiencies, studio apartments, dormitory housing, military barracks, and rentals of individual rooms in residential dwellings.
(7)	Trained renovation worker. – An individual who (i) receives on‑the‑job training and direction pertaining to the individual's assigned tasks in renovation work in target housing or child‑occupied facilities from a certified renovator and (ii) is employed by a certified renovation firm.
"§ 130A‑453.13.  Purpose.(a)	This Article is enacted to establish an authorized State program under sections 402 and 406 of the Toxic Substance Control Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 2682 and 2686, as enacted by Subtitle B of the Residential Lead‑Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, 42 U.S.C. § 4852(d), that will apply in this State in lieu of the corresponding federal program administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This Article requires that renovations for compensation in target housing and child‑occupied facilities be performed or directed by certified renovators and certified firms; establishes procedures and requirements for certification of individuals and firms that perform renovation activities for compensation; and establishes renovation work practice standards. This Article also requires the accreditation of renovation training providers and courses and establishes record‑keeping requirements.
(b)	Certified renovation firms are required to distribute EPA‑approved pamphlets.
"§ 130A‑453.14.  Certification of individuals and firms that perform renovations, cleaning verification, and dust clearance sampling.(a)	No firm shall perform, offer, or claim to perform renovation activities for compensation in targeted housing or child‑occupied facilities unless the firm is a certified renovation firm.
(b)	No individual shall:
(1)	Perform, offer, or claim to perform renovation activities for compensation in target housing or child‑occupied facilities unless the individual is a certified renovator.
(2)	Perform as a trained renovation worker for compensation in targeted housing or child‑occupied facilities unless the individual is employed by a certified renovation firm and is trained and supervised in his or her assigned tasks by a certified renovator.
(3)	Conduct dust clearance sampling for compensation in targeted housing or child‑occupied facilities unless the individual is a certified dust sampling technician, risk assessor, or lead‑based paint inspector. For purposes of this Article, the terms 'risk assessor' and 'lead‑based paint inspector' shall have the same meaning as provided in Article 19A of this Chapter.
(4)	Conduct cleaning verification for compensation in targeted housing or child‑occupied facilities unless the individual is a certified renovator.
(c)	The Commission shall adopt rules governing the certification of individuals and firms performing renovation, cleaning verification, or dust clearance sampling. The rules adopted shall include, but not be limited to, requirements for qualifications, training, and experience, and the payment of fees pursuant to G.S. 130A‑453.17.
"§ 130A‑453.15.  Renewals of certification.
(a)	Certification as a renovation firm under this Article expires on the last day of the 12th month after the certification is issued and shall be renewed annually. A firm may renew its certification by paying the renewal fees and meeting the standards for renewal established by the Commission.
(b)	Certification as a dust sampling technician expires on the last day of the month of the year after certification training is completed and shall be renewed annually. A certified dust sampling technician may renew his or her certification by paying the renewal fees and meeting the standards for renewal established by the Commission.
(c)	A certified renovator shall renew his or her certification every five years by meeting the standards for renewal established by the Commission.
"§ 130A‑453.16.  Accreditation of training courses and training providers.
(a)	No training provider shall provide, offer, or claim to provide:
(1)	Training or refresher courses in renovation unless the training or courses have been accredited by the Department.
(2)	Dust sampling technician courses or refresher courses unless the courses have been accredited by the Department.
(b)	The Commission shall adopt rules governing the annual accreditation of training providers and the annual accreditation of initial and refresher training courses.
(c)	Accreditation as a training provider expires on the last day of the calendar year following the year the accreditation was issued. Accreditation of a training course or refresher course expires on the last day of the calendar year following the year the accreditation was issued. The accreditation of a training provider and the accreditation of a training or refresher course may be renewed by complying with this Article and any standards established by the Commission.
(d)	Training providers and training courses accredited by the EPA are granted reciprocity, but providers and courses must be registered with the Department and comply with this Article.
"§ 130A‑453.17.  Certification and accreditation fee schedule.
(a)	The Department shall collect annual accreditation and certification fees authorized under this Article, including initial and renewal fees. The fees collected shall be used for the ongoing administration of this Article and shall not revert to the General Fund at the end of the fiscal year. The fees shall not exceed the following:
	Maximum Fee
(1)	Accreditation of a training provider	$150.00
(2)	Reaccreditation of a training provider	$150.00
(3)	Accreditation or reaccreditation of initial courses
(Per course per language)	$2,000
(4)	Accreditation or reaccreditation of refresher courses
(Per course per language)	$2,000
(5)	Certification or recertification of a firm	$300.00
(6)	Certification or recertification of a dust sampling
technician	$150.00
(b)	The accreditation fees imposed under this section do not apply to local or State governmental regulatory agency personnel, Indian tribes, or nonprofit training providers. 
"§ 130A‑453.18.  Work practices and responsibilities of renovation firms, renovators, and dust sampling technicians.
The Commission shall establish standards for work practices and define the responsibilities of certified renovators and certified renovation firms and individuals.
"§ 130A‑453.19.  Record retention, information distribution, and reporting requirements.
The Commission shall establish standards for record keeping, record retention, and information distribution; and reporting requirements for training providers, certified renovators, and certified renovation firms and individuals.
"§ 130A‑453.20.  Exemptions from renovation, repair, and painting requirements.
The Commission shall adopt rules exempting certain renovation activities from this Article.
"§ 130A‑453.21.  Commission to adopt rules.
The Commission shall adopt rules to implement this Article."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 130A‑22(b3) reads as rewritten:
"(b3)	The Secretary may impose an administrative penalty on a person who violates Article 19A or 19B of this Chapter or any rules adopted pursuant to Article 19A or 19B of this Chapter. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation. The penalty shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each day the violation  continues for Article 19A of this Chapter. The penalty shall not exceed seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00) for each day the violation continues for Article 19B of this Chapter. The penalty authorized by this section does not apply to a person who is not required to be certified under  Article 19A or 19B."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective January 1, 2010.