HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1117

As Passed Legislature

Title: An act relating to moving a web site address from statute to rule.

Brief Description: Moving a web site address from statute to rule.

Sponsors: By Representatives Linville, Schoesler and Grant; by request of Department of Agriculture.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Agriculture & Natural Resources: 1/28/03 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/10/03, 93-0.

Passed Senate: 4/8/03, 47-0.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 13 members: Representatives Linville, Chair; Rockefeller, Vice Chair; Schoesler, Ranking Minority Member; Holmquist, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Kristiansen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Eickmeyer, Grant, Hunt, McDermott, Orcutt, Quall and Sump.

Staff: Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:

The state's fertilizer laws require commercial fertilizer sold in this state to be accompanied by a label containing statements that identify a number of the characteristics of the fertilizer. One of the required statements must identify the internet address at which information regarding the components of the product, or information regarding the contents and levels of metals in the product, are available. Two versions of a state internet address at which this information may be found are listed by statute. Specifications for an internet address maintained by the registrant of the fertilizer that may be listed as an alternative to one of the state sites are also listed by statute. For packaged fertilizers, the label must be affixed to the package. For bulk fertilizers, a written statement containing the same information required for a label must be supplied to the purchaser.

Summary of Bill:

Internet addresses are no longer specified by statute for state sites at which information regarding the content of a commercial fertilizer may be found. The statutory authority of a label to refer persons to a site maintained by a registrant in lieu of referring them to a state site is eliminated. The label for a commercial fertilizer must now contain a statement, established by rule, that refers persons to the state Department of Agriculture's (WSDA) Uniform Resource Locator internet address where data regarding the metals content is located.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect on January 1, 2004.

Testimony For: (1) Since the fertilizer law identifying internet addresses for the WSDA was enacted, the WSDA's uniform resource locator internet address has changed. The bill allows the addresses to be identified by rule to keep them current. (2) The three options currently provided by statute will still be available by rule.

Testimony Against: None

Testified: Leslie Emerick and Ted Maxwell, Washington State Department of Agriculture.