Rep. Jim Costa (D–Fresno) is pushing for a bill that would support improved code enforcement training in the wake of the secret Reedley biolab last year.
Costa publicly unveiled H.R.9305 on Friday to boost code enforcement operations. Rep. David Valadao (R–Hanford) is a cosponsor of the legislation.
The backstory: Last year a local code enforcement officer in Reedley discovered an illegal biolab after finding a garden hose that was sticking out of the side of the warehouse, which she identified as a code violation.
- That led to the discovery that a Chinese national had stored a number of biological agents – including HIV and malaria – COVID-19 tests, pregnancy tests and nearly 1,000 genetically engineered mice.
The big picture: Costa’s bill would create a federal grant program to provide specialized training for code enforcement officers.
- The training would focus on public health threats linked to building code violations.
- Costa already introduced the Preventing Illegal Laboratories and Protecting Public Health Act, which would create a tracking system for all infectious agent sales.
What they’re saying: “The illegal lab uncovered in Reedley underscores a pressing need to bolster our local building code enforcement capabilities in addressing public health risks,” Costa said. “My legislation would deploy vital resources to train local code enforcement officers, ensuring they are prepared to identify and address potential hazards effectively. This work is essential to protecting our communities.”
- Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba said the discovery of the biolab proved that a loophole exists in current law, meaning the potential for biosafety disaster could strike any community across the nation.
- “Congressman Costa jumped into action quickly to help our city and avert a public health crisis in Reedley, and we are forever grateful for his leadership on this issue,” Zieba said. “This country needs modern, common-sense legislation to protect all communities from a situation like the one in Reedley.”
