Pesticide Preemption Repeal Bills Considered in Connecticut and Minnesota

Connecticut: Members of the Connecticut Pest Control Association (CTPCA) are doing everything they can to defend their livelihoods, as SB 76, a bill to repeal pesticide preemption in Connecticut is being considered by the Joint Committee on the Environment. CTPCA members met with their legislators on March 8th at the CTECH lobby day, sent a record-breaking 1,017 grassroots messages to lawmakers, and CTPCA members Anthony Giovanni and Emilio Polce testified at the public hearing on March 18th. There is expected to be an Environment Committee vote on Monday 3/25 on SB 76, and we encourage all CTPCA members to participate in the latest iteration of our grassroots campaign. Stay tuned.

Minnesota: Just like CTPCA, members of the Minnesota Pest Management Association (MPMA) are defending their livelihoods, as HF 1733, would repeal pesticide preemption for the four largest cities in Minnesota. MPMA members sent an impressive 205 grassroots messages to lawmakers, and Staci Johnston and Dr. Stephen Kells testified before the House Agriculture Committee on March 12th. The pesticide preemption repeal language was originally a standalone bill, HF 212, but now has been rolled into the MN Democratically-controlled House’s omnibus Agriculture Committee bill (HF 1733). The good news is that the Republican-controlled Senate Agriculture Committee’s omnibus bill does not include the horrible pesticide repeal preemption language. There is a hearing in the MN House Ways & Means Committee on Monday for HF 1733, and NPMA and MPMA are heavily engaged.