Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
ESSB 5143
Brief Description: Changing the name of and adding a member to the commission on pesticide registration.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Senators Torres, Dhingra, Rolfes, Salda?a, Shewmake and Warnick).
Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill
  • Changes the name of the Commission on Pesticide Registration to the Commission on Integrated Pest Management (Commission).
  • Adds a representative of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 as a non-voting member of the Commission.
Hearing Date: 3/14/23
Staff: Rebecca Lewis (786-7339).
Background:

The Commission on Pesticide Registration.
The Commission on Pesticide Registration (Commission) was created in 1995 to provide guidance concerning evaluations, studies, or investigations regarding registration or reregistration of pesticides for crops and uses considered to be minor in the national context and the availability of pesticides for emergency uses.  The Commission also assists agricultural organizations in providing funding, in-kind services, or materials for research, implementation, and demonstration of any aspect of integrated pest management and pesticide resistance management programs.

 

The Commission is made up of 12 voting members appointed by the Director of the Department of Agriculture.  The voting members include:

  • eight members from various agricultural industries, including tree fruit growers, hop growers, potato growers, wheat growers, vegetable and seed growers, berry growers, wine grape growers, and the nursery and landscape industry; and
  • one member each from the forest protection industry, food processors, agricultural chemical industry, and professional pesticide applicators. 


There are five non-voting members on the Commission representing the departments of Agriculture, Health, Ecology, and Labor and Industries, and Washington State University. 

 

Integrated Pest Management.
Integrated pest management is a strategy that uses various combinations of biological, cultural, and chemical pest control methods in a compatible manner to achieve satisfactory control and ensure favorable economic and environmental consequences.
Summary of Bill:

The name of the Commission on Pesticide Registration is changed to the Commission on Integrated Pest Management (Commission).  A representative of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 who has working knowledge of federal pesticide policy issues is added as a non-voting member of the Commission.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.