Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research		 BILL
ANALYSIS
Select Committee on Environmental Health

2SHB 1806

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Limiting the use of high hazard pesticides on school facilities.

Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Pedersen, Upthegrove, Campbell, Kenney, McDermott, Morrell, Chase, Appleton, Dunshee, McIntire, Santos, Moeller, Darneille, Roberts, Hudgins, Hunt, Hasegawa, Conway, O'Brien, Green, Rolfes, Simpson, Schual-Berke, Goodman, Wood and Lantz).

Brief Summary of Second Substitute Bill
  • Requires the State Board of Health (Board) to adopt by rule a list of products that the Board considers to pose a high hazard to the health of children or staff if applied in or on school facilities.
  • Requires the Washington State School Directors' Association, in consultation with the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture, to develop a model integrated pest management policy that emphasizes use of non-chemical pest control measures and allows use of high-hazard pesticides only as a last resort.

Hearing Date: 1/15/08

Staff: Ashley Pedersen (786-7303).

Background:

Pests common in schools can harm both children and adults. Pests can spread disease, cause allergies and asthma attacks, precipitate allergy attacks from stings, contaminate food, cause painful bites, and cause structural damage. Pesticides are powerful tools for controlling these risks.

Children are more sensitive than adults to pesticides. Young children can have greater exposure to pesticides from crawling, exploring, or other hand-to-mouth activities. Since children spend much of their day at school it is important to limit children's exposure to the hazardous effects of pesticides.

The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for regulating the use of pesticides at the national level. The Department of Agriculture (DOA), the Department of Labor and Industries, and the Department of Ecology (DOE) regulate pesticides in Washington.

Summary of Second Substitute Bill:

The Legislature finds that children are more vulnerable than adults to the hazardous effects of pesticides. The intent of the bill is to limit, for the protection of students and staff, the use of high hazard pesticides in and on school facilities.

The Washington State School Directors' Association, in consultation with the Department of Health and the DOA, is required to develop a model integrated pest management policy by September 1, 2008 that emphasizes use of non-chemical pest control measures and allows use of high-hazard pesticides only as a last resort.

The State Board of Health (Board) is required to adopt by rule a list of products that the Board considers to pose a high hazard to the health of children or staff if applied in or on school facilities.

The Board must include in the list products that meet the criteria of toxicity category I or toxicity category II for pesticides as defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 40 C.F.R. Sec. 156.62 as it exists on the effective date of this section.

The Board must consider including in the list the following general categories of pesticides:

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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