Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S617 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
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2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 549 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 617
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jason M. Lewis
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to the pesticide board.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 549 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 617
18	18	By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 617) of Jason M. Lewis for
19	19	legislation relative to the pesticide board. Environment and Natural Resources.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE SENATE, NO. 521 OF 2023-2024.]
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act relative to the pesticide board.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 (a) There shall be established a task force to be known as the pesticide control
31	31	2modernization and environmental protection task force. The task force shall study the
32	32	3commonwealth’s statutes, regulations, and practices governing pesticide control in the
33	33	4commonwealth and make recommendations on the items detailed in subsection (b) of this act.
34	34	5 The task force shall consist of the following members or their designee: the secretary of
35	35	6energy and environmental affairs, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of agricultural
36	36	7resources; the commissioner of conservation and recreation; the commissioner of environmental
37	37	8protection; and the commissioner of public health. The task force shall also include 20 additional
38	38	9members appointed by the chairs of the joint committee on environment, natural resources and
39	39	10agriculture: 1 of whom shall be an academic expert in environmental and health impacts of 2 of 4
40	40	11pesticides; 1 of whom shall be an ecological risk assessor with a background in ecotoxicology; 1
41	41	12of whom shall be a licensed pesticide applicator with expertise in integrated pest management
42	42	13practices; 1 of whom shall be a representative of a statewide land conservation organization; 1 of
43	43	14whom shall be a representative of a regional or statewide river protection organization; 1 of
44	44	15whom shall be a representative of a statewide wildlife protection organization; 1 of whom shall
45	45	16be a representative of a statewide organization representing farms and agriculture; 1 of whom
46	46	17shall be a representative of a statewide organization representing organic farms and agriculture; 1
47	47	18of whom shall be a representative of a statewide organization representing beekeepers or groups
48	48	19concerned about pollinators; 1 of whom shall be a representative of a statewide lawn care
49	49	20organization; 1 of whom shall be a representative of a statewide nursery and landscape
50	50	21organization; 1 of whom shall be a representative of a statewide consumer protection
51	51	22organization; 1 of whom shall be a veterinarian or academic with expertise in pesticide impacts
52	52	23on animals; 1 of whom shall be a representative of a statewide horticultural or grower
53	53	24association; 1 of whom shall be a representative of pesticide manufacturers or distributors; 1 of
54	54	25whom shall be a representative of a statewide organization representing cranberry growers; 1 of
55	55	26whom shall be a representative of a statewide organization of retailers; 1 of whom shall be a
56	56	27member of a town natural resources commission or equivalent; 1 of whom shall be a
57	57	28representative of a research institution affiliated with a public university located in the
58	58	29commonwealth with expertise in integrated pest management practices or organic or regenerative
59	59	30agriculture; and 1 of whom shall be a member of a city natural resources commission or
60	60	31equivalent.
61	61	32 (b) The task force shall review and make recommendations to improve the ability of the
62	62	33commonwealth to prevent and mitigate adverse impacts of pesticide use on the environment and 3 of 4
63	63	34public health. The issues examined by the task force shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the
64	64	35title, structure, membership, and operation of the pesticide board and the pesticide board
65	65	36subcommittee currently within the department of agricultural resources; (ii) the ability of the
66	66	37pesticide board and pesticide board subcommittee to effectively interact with other state
67	67	38agencies, stakeholders, and the public; (iii) the commonwealth’s relationship with federal
68	68	39pesticide regulators and ability to implement federal pesticide regulations on the state level in a
69	69	40manner consistent with pesticide use reduction goals; (iv) the effectiveness of chapter 132B of
70	70	41the general laws and other state and federal statutes in reducing harmful impacts of pesticide use;
71	71	42(v) the ability of the pesticide board and the pesticide board subcommittee to quickly and
72	72	43effectively implement science-based regulation of pesticides and pesticide products; (vi) the
73	73	44effectiveness of the commonwealth’s licensing and continuing education process for pesticide
74	74	45users in promoting responsible, limited use of pesticides and reducing adverse impacts of
75	75	46pesticide use; (vii) the implementation of section 5A of said chapter 132B as it pertains to
76	76	47pesticide use reduction and annual reporting requirements; (viii) the impacts of current pesticide
77	77	48use practices on watersheds and other vulnerable natural resources and on environmental justice
78	78	49populations; (ix) opportunities to expand integrated pest management planning and practices to
79	79	50additional public lands; (x) opportunities to implement organic landcare practices on public
80	80	51lands; (xi) the accessibility, utility and transparency of the commonwealth’s pesticide use
81	81	52reporting system; and (xii) public awareness and education regarding pesticide use and its
82	82	53environmental and health impacts.
83	83	54 (c) The task force shall issue a report detailing its findings and recommendations, which
84	84	55shall include, but not be limited to, detailed investigation of the issue areas detailed in subsection
85	85	56(b) and a broad assessment of the operational effectiveness of the pesticide board and pesticide 4 of 4
86	86	57board subcommittee. The report shall include a recommendation of the appropriate location
87	87	58within state government to locate the board and the subcommittee, the appropriate titles for the
88	88	59board and the subcommittee respectively, in order to clearly communicate the roles of each body,
89	89	60and may include recommendations of additional oversight and accountability measures necessary
90	90	61for the board and the subcommittee to effectively meet the statutory goals of safe and responsible
91	91	62pesticide use established in chapter 132B.
92	92	63 (d) All meetings of the task force shall be open to the public. The task force shall hold at
93	93	64least 1 public listening session with a remote participation option. The task force shall convene
94	94	65its first meeting no later than six months after enactment.
95	95	66 (e) The task force shall file its findings, recommendations and accompanying legislation,
96	96	67if any, with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the joint committee on ways
97	97	68and means and the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture not later
98	98	69than one year after enactment.