Built Environment Bill on Tap in Maryland

By Arias, Donya C

Maryland officials art-taking steps to improve the built environment in their state, introducing a bill in their Legislature that would ultimately improve health.

The Maryland bill is similar to federal legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif, that looks to improve the health of the built environment and that is supported by APHA.

The Maryland Healthy Places Act would require the state’s secretary of health and mental hygiene to establish an Interagency Working Group to discuss environmental health concerns. The bill also would set up a pilot program advancing the field of health impact assessments, which are similar to environmental impact assessments and gauge how best to improve health through planning for walkahle communities, among other efforts. The hill also would set up a grant program to allow local groups to conduct health impact assessments and require the state health secretary to hold a yearly conference on environmental health and health disparities.

The full text of the bill is available from http:// mlis.state.md.us/2007RS/ bills/hb/hb1034f.pdf.

Copyright American Public Health Association Apr 2007

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