ANALYSIS OF HB 1702

House Agriculture & Ecology Committee                                        February 17, 1997

BACKGROUND:

The registration and use of pesticides in this state are regulated under the state=s Pesticide Control and Pesticide Application Acts.  (Chapters 15.58 and 17.21 RCW.)  These Acts are administered by the Department of Agriculture.  The use of certain pesticides is restricted to persons licensed or certified under the Pesticide Application Act.  One of the categories of persons certified (licensed) to use these materials under the Act is a Aprivate applicator.@  A private applicator is one who uses or supervises the use of such pesticides for producing an agricultural commodity and for an associated non-crop application on land owned or rented by the applicator or the applicator=s employer.  (RCW 17.21.020(34).)

The certification (license) for a private applicator expires annually.  (RCW 17.21.132(4).)  Such an applicator must accumulate every five years a minimum of 20 credits in continuing education approved by the Department regarding pesticides.  Not more than eight credits in any single year may be counted toward this requirement.  (RCW 17.21.128(2)(a)(i).)

SUMMARY:

Private pesticide applicator certifications (licenses) are now valid for five years rather than one.  (Section 2.)  The rate at which credits may be accumulated for re-certification is altered.  The current limit of a maximum of eight credits in any one year is replaced by a new minimum of four credits every two years.  Twenty credits must still be accumulated every five years.  (Section 1.)