Title: An act relating to changing the name of the commission on pesticide registration to the commission on integrated pest management without changing responsibilities or authority of the commission.

Brief Description: Changing the name of the commission on pesticide registration to the commission on integrated pest management without changing responsibilities or authority of the commission.

Sponsors: Representative Grant.

Brief History:

Agriculture & Natural Resources: 1/30/08, 2/4/08 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 13 members: Representatives Blake, Chair; Van De Wege, Vice Chair; Kretz, Ranking Minority Member; Warnick, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Eickmeyer, Grant, Kristiansen, Lantz, Loomis, McCoy, Nelson, Newhouse and Orcutt.

Staff: Colleen Kerr (786-7168).

Background:

The Commission on Pesticide Registration (Commission) has twelve voting members appointed by the Governor and five ex officio members representing Washington State University (WSU), the Department of Ecology, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Labor and Industries, and the Department of Health. The Commission is created to:

• provide guidance to the Food and Environmental Laboratory at WSU;
• encourage agricultural organizations to assist in providing various types of funding or in-kind services for laboratory studies on pest management;
• provide the laboratory with guidance on tracking pesticides for other effective uses;
• ensure that the activities of the laboratory and the Commission are coordinated with the work of other state and national laboratories; and
• ensure that prior to approving any residue study there is written confirmation of registrant support and willingness or ability to add the given minor crop to its label.

Summary of Bill:

The Commission on Pesticide Registration is changed in statute to the Commission on Integrated Pest Management.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) When the Commission was first established the name reflected its mission regarding pesticide registration. Over the years, however, the mission has changed and renaming it the Commission on Integrated Pest management better reflects these changes.

Persons Testifying: Representative Grant, prime sponsor; and Art Losey, Washington State Commission on Pesticide Regulations.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.