HB 399 Summary

• Establishes a health impact assessment program in the Department of Health and Social Services to promote healthy communities and eliminate health disparities.

• Requires a certificate of health impact for any construction or development project within one-mile radius of a vulnerable community that requires environmental assessment under state or federal law, with exceptions for emergency response, remediation, and wastewater projects.

• Mandates the department develop and publish community health indexes for each health unit based on disease rates, mortality, and environmental quality indicators, updated at least every five years.

• Requires public notice in newspapers and online when a project is proposed, and triggers a mandatory health impact assessment if 10 or more community members request one within 30 days of notice.

• Effective date is July 1, 2012.