A bill to amend the provisions of the Toxic Substances Control Act relating to asbestos in the Nation's schools by providing adequate time for local educational agencies to submit asbestos management plans to State Governors and to begin implementation of those plans.
Public Law 100-368 · H.R. 3893 · 100th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jul 18, 1988 · Environmental Protection
Sponsor: Rep. Michael Oxley (R-OH-4)
Cosponsors (117): Rep. Norman Lent, Rep. Robert Whittaker,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to permit local education agencies (LEAs) to request from their State Governor, by October 12, 1988, a deferral to May 9, 1989, of the October 12, 1988 deadline for the submission of school asbestos management plans to such Governor. Requires that such requests include either a statement that the State has requested, before June 1988, a waiver of the Act's school asbestos management requirement so as to operate its own asbestos inspection and management program or: (1) an explanation as to why the LEA, despite good faith efforts, will be unable to meet the original deadline; (2) a proposed schedule of activities leading to submission of the management plan; and (3) an assurance that the LEA has given the public notice of certain of its asbestos-related activities. Directs that a LEA, before filing a deferral request, notify affected parent, teacher, and educational organizations, and, in the case of a request pertaining to a public school, discuss the request at a public meeting of the school board. Maintains the current requirement that LEAs begin implementation of management plans by July 9, 1989.
Requires Governors to submit reports to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by the close of 1988 and 1989 on the status of management plan submissions and deferral requests made by LEAs within their State. Requires that such reports be made available to LEAs within the State.
Directs the EPA to publish a list of EPA-approved asbestos training courses by August 31, 1988, and every three months thereafter until August 31, 1991.
Prohibits LEAs which do not have an approved asbestos management plan for a school from undertaking routine renovations or removal of building materials in such school unless: (1) the school is carrying out work under a grant awarded under the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act of 1984; or (2) a thorough inspection has been conducted to determine whether the material contains asbestos and certain regulations pertaining to the removal of asbestos are followed. Directs such LEAs to follow specified regulations governing operations, maintenance, training, and surveillance to protect school employees from asbestos exposure. Requires that school employees who are directed to conduct emergency repairs involving actual or suspected asbestos-containing materials, or to conduct operations and maintenance activities in a school, be provided with proper equipment and training and be allowed to follow safe work practices.
Establishes civil penalties against LEAs which perform asbestos activities prohibited by this Act or knowingly submit false information to their Governor regarding deferral requests.
Makes technical amendments to the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act of 1984.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Energy and Commerce Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Transportation, Tourism, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Jul 18, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-368.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 7, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jun 29, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Jun 27, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jun 22, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jun 16, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Transportation, Tourism, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Transportation, Tourism, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Mar 28, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Transportation, Tourism, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Feb 16, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Transportation, Tourism, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Feb 2, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.