Pesticide safety bill passes Senate

OLYMPIA — A bill extending the Pesticide Application Safety Committee unanimously passed the Senate, 49-0, on Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Senate Bill 6166, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldana, D-Seattle, extends the provisions of the Pesticide Application Safety Committee and its advisory group until July 1, 2035. It also removes requirement for virtual meetings, allowing in-person meetings to take place.

The committee’s work was originally set to expire July 1, 2025.

The Pesticide Application Safety Committee was established in 2019; it comprises legislative members, agency heads, academic leaders and industry representatives.

Its focus is enhancing agricultural pesticide application safety and data collection practices.

The committee is charged with fostering collaboration among farmers, agricultural workers, public health experts and regulatory agencies.

“This bill represents a crucial step toward breaking down silos between academics, farmers and agricultural workers and promoting collaboration,” Saldana said.

The bill now heads to the House for consideration.