AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF ORGANIC PESTICIDES ON SCHOOL PROPERTY AND AUTHORIZING MUNICIPAL REGULATION OF THE USE OF PESTICIDES ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 10-231a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2012):

As used in sections 10-231b to 10-231d, inclusive, and section 19a-79a, (1) "pesticide" means a fungicide used on plants, an insecticide, a herbicide or a rodenticide, but does not mean a sanitizer, disinfectant, antimicrobial agent or pesticide bait, (2) "microbial pesticide" means a pesticide that consists of a microorganism as the active ingredient, (3) "biochemical pesticide" means a naturally occurring substance that controls pests by nontoxic mechanisms, (4) "lawn care pesticide" means a pesticide registered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and labeled pursuant to the federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act for use in lawn, garden and ornamental sites or areas, and [(3)] (5) "integrated pest management" means use of all available pest control techniques, including judicious use of pesticides, when warranted, to maintain a pest population at or below an acceptable level, while decreasing the use of pesticides.

Sec. 2. Section 10-231b of the general statutes is amended by adding subsection (c) as follows (Effective October 1, 2012):

(NEW) (c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person applying a microbial or biochemical pesticide.

Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2012) Any municipality may, by ordinance, regulate and establish standards for pesticide application on residential property, provided such regulations and standards are more stringent than any applicable regulations and standards established by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Statement of Purpose:

To allow the use of organic pesticides on school property and to authorize municipalities to regulate the use of pesticides on residential property.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]