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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 649 FILED ON: 1/10/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 124
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Carmine Lawrence Gentile and Mary S. Keefe
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to improving pesticide protections for Massachusetts schoolchildren.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex1/10/2025Mary S. Keefe15th Worcester1/10/2025Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden1/22/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/27/2025Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex1/25/2025James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/11/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 649 FILED ON: 1/10/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 124
By Representatives Gentile of Sudbury and Keefe of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 124) of Carmine Lawrence Gentile, Mary S. Keefe and others relative to pesticide
products eligible for use on the outdoor grounds of schools, child care centers or school age child
care programs. Agriculture.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to improving pesticide protections for Massachusetts schoolchildren.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 6C of Chapter 132B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “center”, in lines 3, 6 and 10,
3each time it appears, the following words:- , property occupied by the department of children and
4families, facilities of the juvenile court, facilities of the department of youth services, sports
5fields for town youth teams.
6 SECTION 2. Said Section 6C of said Chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further
7amended by inserting after the word “program”, in lines 3, 7 and 11, each time it appears, the
8following words:- or on properties within 150 feet thereof, including abutters.
9 SECTION 3. Said Section 6C of said Chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further
10amended by inserting after the word “school”, in line 11 and line 27, the following words:- or
11department. 2 of 2
12 SECTION 4. Said Section 6C of said Chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further
13amended by adding the following new subsection:-
14 (d) This section shall apply regardless of what entity hires a party to spray, release,
15deposit or apply pesticides. This section shall apply whether a hiring entity is a public or private
16owner of real property, a management company for real property, or any other person or legal
17entity.
18 SECTION 5. Said section 6G of said chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further
19amended by adding following paragraph:-
20 Notwithstanding the forgoing, a school, child care center, public institution of higher
21education or school age child care program shall only use pesticide products that: (i) are
22classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as an exempt material pursuant
23to 40 C.F.R. 152.25, as amended; or (ii) include no active ingredients other than those published
24in the National List at 7 C.F.R 205.601, as amended; provided, however, that a school, child care
25center, public institution of higher education or school age child care program may be granted a
26hardship waiver, at the discretion of the department, for use of a pesticide that does not meet
27such qualifications.