| 1 | 1 | | 1 of 1 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1283 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 627 |
|---|
| 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 use of glyphosate on public lands. |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Jason M. LewisFifth MiddlesexAdam J. Scanlon14th Bristol3/4/2025 1 of 3 |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1283 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 627 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 627) of Jason M. Lewis and Adam J. |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Scanlon for legislation relative to the use of glyphosate on public lands. Environment and |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | Natural Resources. |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 517 OF 2023-2024.] |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (2025-2026) |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | An Act relative to the use of glyphosate on public lands. |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | of the same, as follows: |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | 1 SECTION 1. Section 2 of chapter 132B of the General Laws is hereby amended by |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | 2adding the following definitions:- |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | 3 “Glyphosate” or “glyphosate herbicides” includes all herbicides that contain glyphosate |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | 4as one of the active ingredients and tank mixes of herbicides containing glyphosate as one of the |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | 5active ingredients.” |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | 6 “Public lands” for the purpose of this bill shall mean state parks, playgrounds, school |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | 7buildings, highway medians owned and maintained by the Commonwealth, and buildings owned |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | 8and operated by the State. 2 of 3 |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 9 SECTION 2. Chapter 132B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | 10following section:- |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | 11 Section 17. No person shall: |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | 12 (1) Use any pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its label; |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | 13 (2) Use, store, transport, or discard any pesticide or pesticide container in any manner |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | 14which would have unreasonable adverse effects on the environment or public health; |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | 15 (3) Use or apply restricted use pesticides unless the person is a certified pesticide |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | 16applicator or under the direct supervision of a certified pesticide applicator with a valid |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | 17certificate issued; provided that it shall be prohibited to use or apply a restricted use pesticide for |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | 18structural pest control uses for a fee or trading of services, unless the user or applicator is a pest |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | 19control operator or is employed by a pest control operator licensed under chapter 460J; |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | 20 (4) Use or apply pesticides in any manner that has been suspended, canceled, or |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | 21restricted; |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | 22 (5) Falsify any record or report required to be made or maintained by rules adopted |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | 23pursuant to this chapter; |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | 24 (6) Fill with water, through a hose, pipe, or other similar transmission system, any tank, |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | 25implement, apparatus, or equipment used to disperse pesticides, unless the tank, implement, |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | 26apparatus, equipment, hose, pipe, or other similar transmission system is equipped with an air |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | 27gap or a reduced-pressure principle backflow device; |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | 28 (7) After December 31, 2026, no person shall apply any glyphosate herbicide, on any |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | 29public lands owned or maintained by the Commonwealth without a: 3 of 3 |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | 30 (A) License issued by the State or any agency of the federal government to conduct |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | 31glyphosate research; or |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | 32 (B) Permit issued by the State to apply any glyphosate herbicide because: |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | 33 (i) The situation poses an immediate threat to human health and the environment; and |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | 34 (ii) There is no viable alternative to the use of the proposed glyphosate herbicide." |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | 35 SECTION 3. The department of food and agriculture shall adopt regulations within 1 |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | 36year after the effective date of this act. |
|---|