Chapter 312
AN ACT
SB 479
Relating to school lighting; and declaring an
emergency.
Whereas metal halide and
mercury vapor light bulbs are commonly used by schools, particularly in school
gymnasiums and areas where a bright, long-lasting source of light is necessary;
and
Whereas the federal Food
and Drug Administration has received reports of injuries from accidental
exposure to ultraviolet radiation caused by broken high intensity metal halide
or mercury vapor light bulbs; and
Whereas injuries from
accidental exposure to ultraviolet radiation caused by a broken metal halide or
mercury vapor light bulb include redness and burns to the skin and eyes,
blurred or double vision, headaches and nausea; and
Whereas T type metal
halide or mercury vapor lights have an internal mechanism that shuts off the
light automatically within 15 minutes after the light bulb is broken and R type
metal halide or mercury vapor light bulbs do not have the automatic shut-off
safety feature; now, therefore,
Be It Enacted by the People of
the State of
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section:
(a) “School” means a
school operated by a school district or a public charter school.
(b) “T type light bulb”
means a metal halide or mercury vapor light bulb that has an internal
mechanism that shuts off the light within 15 minutes after the bulb is broken.
(2) A school may use
only a T type light bulb in a light fixture that is designed for metal halide
or mercury vapor light bulbs.
(3) This section does
not apply to light fixtures used to light a stadium field or an outdoor
athletic field.
SECTION 2. (1) A school, as defined in section 1 of
this 2007 Act, shall replace all R type metal halide or mercury vapor light
bulbs with T type light bulbs, as defined in section 1 of this 2007 Act, within
six months of the effective date of this 2007 Act.
(2) This section does
not:
(a) Apply to light bulbs
used to light a stadium field or an outdoor athletic field.
(b) Preclude a school
from using alternative lighting such as fluorescent lights when replacing R
type metal halide or mercury vapor light bulbs.
SECTION 3. This 2007 Act being necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is
declared to exist, and this 2007 Act takes effect July 1, 2007.
Approved by the Governor June 11, 2007
Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 13, 2007
Effective date July 1, 2007
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