Minnesota lawmakers are considering biomonitoring legislation that would test Minnesota citizens to determine their exposure levels to a variety of toxic chemicals. The proposed law seeks to better gauge health risks currently posed by such chemicals, as the first step toward controlling and reducing those risks. The proposed legislation requires the state's commissioner of health to provide community-based biomonitoring for toxic chemicals in economically, racially and geographically diverse communities. Upon detection of dangerous levels of a toxic chemical, the bill calls for various state agencies to identify the source or sources of the chemical exposure, and develop recommendations to minimize the exposure. Versions of the "Healthy Minnesotans Biomonitoring Program" bill have been introduced in both the Minnesota House (H.F. 1850) and Senate (S.F. 979), on February 14 and March 16, respectively. Biomonitoring is a cutting-edge tool that yields clearer information about chemicals that are still being absorbing into peoples' bodies, and therefore continue to pose health risks, despite environmental progress made over the past three decades. These studies help improve public health policy, by indicating trends in chemical exposures, identifying disproportionately affected and particularly vulnerable communities, assessing the effectiveness of current regulations, and setting priorities for legislative and regulatory action. In July, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, a nation-wide biomonitoring study released every two years. The study found troubling levels of toxics, including metals, carcinogens and organic toxics like insecticides, in individuals across the country. Many scientists have pointed out that more focused state-level biomonitoring studies would yield more revealing data than the national CDC study. Such examinations could allow researchers to draw stronger connections between sources of toxics, at-risk populations, and pollution-prevention measures that should be taken by industry. According to the federal Toxics Release Inventory in 2003 Minnesota industries released or disposed of over 31 million pounds of toxic chemicals. A Minnesota biomonitoring program could determine which of these chemicals are trespassing into resident's bodies. California is the only other state currently considering a state-wide biomonitoring program. The bill (SB 600) was introduced in February and passed out of the California Assembly Health Committee June 28, despite strong opposition from industry. Supporters say that the bill will help scientists, medical professionals, decision-makers and community members better understand the effects of environmental contaminants on human health. They are hopeful the bill will clear its next hurdle in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.