FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jesse Cordray, Press Secretary
Jesse.Cordray@iga.in.gov
317-232-9498
Emma Balzer, Press Secretary Intern
Emma.Balzer@iga.in.gov
STATEHOUSE (March 16, 2021) – A bill authored by State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that would address the enforcement of pesticide violations recently passed the Indiana House of Representatives with bipartisan support.
Under current law, the state chemist may impose a civil penalty on 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 with a comprehensive list of violations for which the state chemist may impose a civil penalty of $250, $500 or $1,000, depending on severity of the violation. 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 could only incur a fee if a warning has been issued to the violator within five years of the latest incident.
"Pesticide misuse can cause serious damage to Indiana farmlands, which contribute billions to our state economy every year," Leising said. "This interference with the work of Indiana farmers is detrimental to our economy and reinforces the need for protection from problems that could arise from pesticide misuse. I am optimistic that SB 227 will reinforce our commitment to farms across the state."
Having been amended by the House, SB 227 will now return to the Senate for further review.
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For a high-resolution photo of State Sen. Leising, click here.
