HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5125

                 As Passed House - Amended:

                        April 7, 1999

Title:  An act relating to the duties of the commission on pesticide registration.

Brief Description:  Giving direction to the commission on pesticide registration.

Sponsors:  Senators Loveland, Rasmussen, Morton, Stevens, T. Sheldon and Honeyford.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Agriculture & Ecology:  3/18/99, 4/1/99 [DPA].

Floor Activity:

Passed House - Amended:  4/7/99, 89-0.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

            (As Amended by House Committee)

$Allows the Commission on Pesticide Registration to approve funding for studies on integrated pest management and pesticide resistance management.

$Alters voting requirements for official actions of the commission.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & ECOLOGY

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 14 members:  Representatives G. Chandler, Republican Co-Chair; Linville, Democratic Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic Vice Chair; Koster, Republican Vice Chair; Anderson; B. Chandler; Delvin; Fortunato; Grant; Reardon; Schoesler; Stensen; Sump and Wood.

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:

In general, pesticides are considered to be for minor crops or minor uses in the context of the federal pesticide registration process if the acreage on which the pesticides would potentially be used is "minor" on a national scale.  Crops such as apples which are a large part of this state's agricultural economy are considered to be "minor" crops in this national registration context.

The Commission on Pesticide Registration was created by statute in 1995.   The statutes creating the commission also dedicate the use of state monies appropriated to Washington State University (WSU) specifically for studies or activities regarding pesticide registrations.  The use of these monies must be approved by the commission.  The monies may be used for: (1) conducting studies concerning the registration of pesticides for minor crops and minor uses and the availability of pesticides for emergency uses; (2) a program for tracking the availability of pesticides for such crops and uses; and (3) the support of the commission and its activities.  Not less than 25 percent of these monies must be dedicated to studies concerning the registration of pesticides for crops which are not among the top 20 agricultural commodities produced in the state.

The commission is made up of 12 voting members appointed by the Governor representing 12 specified segments of the state's agricultural industry.  A majority of the voting members constitutes a quorum and an official action of the commission may be taken only by a majority vote of the voting members. 

Summary of Amended Bill:

The state appropriations dedicated to use solely by the commission and subject to the laws establishing the commission are those made to or legislatively intended for the commission and those otherwise received by the commission.  These appropriations may now expressly be used for evaluations, studies, or investigations approved by the commission for studies regarding research, implementation, and demonstration of integrated pest management and pesticide resistance management programs.

Added to the duties of the commission is the requirement that it encourage agricultural organizations to provide assistance for integrated pest management and pesticide resistance management programs for minor crops and minor uses that would benefit the organizations.

An official action may now be taken by the commission by a majority vote of its quorum, rather than a majority vote of the voting members.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:   The industry will be looking for full funding to implement this program.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Rasmussen; and Heather Hansen, Washington Friends of Farms and Forests and Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers.