SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Emergency management officials in Illinois are reminding residents that a new state law will make parents better informed about radon levels in day care centers.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency says it's highlighting the new law because January is Radon Action Month. Licensed day care centers are now required to test for radon, which is a radioactive gas. A year from now they will have to show proof that they have been tested for the gas.

Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that comes from the radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in the soil. Experts say it is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. They estimate about 1,200 radon-related lung cancer deaths happen every year in Illinois.