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Leising: Bill to address pesticide violations passes committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jesse Cordray, Press Secretary
Jesse.Cordray@iga.in.gov

317-232-9498

Leising: Bill to address pesticide violations passes committee

STATEHOUSE (Jan. 11, 2020) – A bill authored by State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that would address the enforcement of pesticide violations unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Agriculture today.

Under current law, the state chemist may impose a civil penalty to individuals who misuse pesticides based off a schedule of civil penalties that the Indiana Pesticide Review Board created.

Senate Bill 227 would replace the schedule of civil penalties created by the Indiana Pesticide Review Board with a comprehensive list of violations for which the state chemist may impose a civil penalty of $250, $500 and $1,000, depending on severity. SB 227 would also grant the state chemist the ability to adjust a civil penalty by 20% for certain violations if the person responsible for the violation takes mitigating action. Low-level violations may only incur a fee if a warning has been issued to the violator within five years of the latest incident.

"Indiana is the eighth-largest agricultural exporter in the nation, with agriculture contributing billions to our state economy each year," Leising said. "To safeguard our environment, it is important that we have a comprehensive approach to how the state oversees farmers who misuse pesticides. SB 227 would grant the state chemist the necessary authority to ensure our state remains an agricultural leader with fair and understood regulatory measures."

SB 227 will now be considered by the full Senate. To learn more about SB 227, click here.

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