(Des Moines) A bill that would provide tax credits for the purchase and installation of radon mitigation systems and require passive mitigation in new construction, advanced Wednesday from the House floor.
Lawmakers said the bill was an “easy” vote to protect Iowans from the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Radon, which is a radioactive gas emitted by the natural breakdown of soil and rock, seeps into houses through cracks in the foundation, or other openings. More than 70% of Iowa homes are above the recommended levels of radon set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which puts Iowa on the list of states with the highest radon exposure rates.
Rep. Hans Wilz, a Republican from Ottumwa and the bill’s floor manager, called it “common sense policy” to address the rising cancer rates in Iowa.
“Cancer prevention is just as important as cancer research and medical treatment,” Wilz said, “We need to act and attack cancer in every way to ensure Iowa cancer rates go down.”
According to the Iowa Cancer Consortium, lung cancer from radon exposure causes 400 deaths annually in Iowa.
Wilz introduced an amendment to the bill that would require new single-family and two-family homes to install passive radon mitigation systems during construction. The amendment was akin to a bill passed by the House last year, which did not see debate in the Senate.
The amendment was approved by the House.
House File 1027 also would create an individual and corporate income tax credit, up to $1,000, for the purchase and installation of an indoor radon mitigation system. It would apply to tax years on or after Jan. 1, 2025.
Wilz said for every dollar invested in radon mitigation, the state can expect to see $20-$40 saved in avoided health care costs.
“Radon is a silent killer, but it’s one we can defeat,” Wilz said. “By testing our homes, installing mitigation systems as needed, we can protect our families, we can make Iowa healthier.”
The bill defines radon mitigation as systems “designed to reduce radon concentrations in the indoor air of a building.”
Another radon-related bill, House File 707, would create a standing appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services to make radon testing kits free to homeowners and renters in the state. The bill has not had any hearings in the appropriations committee thus far.
Wilz said a 2022 law that requires radon testing and mitigation in Iowa schools shows that Iowa is taking “great steps forward” to address the risks of radon.
“No Iowan should lose their life to a preventable threat like radon,” Wilz said.
The bill was approved 92-1 and advanced to the Senate, as amended.
