Bill > SF1979

This bill prohibits the construction of schools within one-quarter mile of a dump site or closed landfill to protect student safety. The legislation defines "closed landfill" as a site listed on the Pollution Control Agency website as potentially contaminated, and "dump site" as either an unpermitted mixed municipal solid waste disposal site identified in a 2001 legislative report, a site listed as potentially contaminated by the Pollution Control Agency, or a site known by a county solid waste officer to have been an unpermitted disposal location. The bill applies to public schools (including traditional, alternative, and charter schools) and encompasses not just school buildings, but also playgrounds and athletic fields. Schools are prohibited from being built on or near these potentially hazardous waste sites to mitigate potential health risks from environmental contamination. The provisions of this bill will become effective on July 1, 2025, giving schools and local authorities time to plan and adjust to the new restrictions.