BILL REQ. #:  S-1125.2 

Read first time 02/12/2003.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture.

     AN ACT Relating to a pilot project by the department of agriculture and the department of labor and industries to determine the feasibility and benefits for medical monitoring of agricultural workers; adding a new section to chapter 17.21 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that: The state's highly productive and efficient agriculture sector is composed predominately of family owned and managed farms and an industrious and efficient workforce; the supreme court has directed the department of labor and industries to initiate rule making regarding routine monitoring of agriculture workers who are exposed to certain pesticides. It is the intent of this act to guarantee that the safety and health of workers is protected, and this can best be accomplished through pilot project rule making to determine whether mandatory medical monitoring is beneficial to workers and feasible considering all of the technical requirements of such a regulation.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 17.21 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department of agriculture and the department of labor and industries shall initiate a pilot rule project, in accordance with RCW 34.05.313, to determine whether mandatory medical monitoring for class one and class two organophosphate and carbamate pesticides is necessary to insure worker safety. The pilot project shall be completed by December 31, 2005.
     (2) In accordance with RCW 34.05.350, the department of labor and industries may adopt emergency rules necessary to protect the health and safety of farmworkers.
     (3) Funding for this pilot project will be obtained from the industrial insurance medical aid and accident funds as defined in chapter 51.44 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.