Governor signs Rep. Tom Dent’s legislation creating the Pesticide Advisory Board

Legislation introduced in the 2023 legislative session by 13th District Rep. Tom Dent that creates the Pesticide Advisory Board was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Jay Inslee.

House Bill 1019 creates the Pesticide Advisory Board to advise the Washington State Department of Agriculture on pesticide-related actions.

A board was in place from 1994 to 2010 that advised the department on pesticide issues, but it was eliminated with a number of other boards and commissions by the Legislature in 2010 during the recession to save the state money in the operating budget.

“The board provided important valuable input and feedback to the department before it was eliminated. This will restore a permanent advisory board with broad representation and include those who have firsthand knowledge of pesticides and their use,” said Dent, R-Moses Lake. “There have been serious pesticide issues we have needed to address in recent years. With the new board, pesticide rules and regulations should be consistent and fair, while ensuring pesticide management strategies are applied efficiently and effectively.”

The board is composed of both voting and nonvoting members appointed by the director of the Department of Agriculture. Members appointed to the board serve terms of four years and may be appointed for successive four-year terms at the discretion of the director. Board member terms must be staggered so approximately one-fourth of the terms expire on June 30 each year.

The 11 voting board members appointed by the director include:

  • licensed pesticide applicators, pest control professionals, and the agricultural chemical industry;
  • agricultural producers;
  • agricultural labor and migrant farmworkers;
  • the environmental community;
  • one representative from a federally recognized Indian tribe;
  • the Household and Consumer Products Association;
  • one at-large member determined by the director; and
  • state poison control, toxicology, occupational safety and health, and pesticide management officials.

The board also includes an extensive number of non-voting members.

The measure goes into effect July 22, 2023.

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Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov