SB1769 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 11132 JDS 21497 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB1769

Introduced 2/19/2009, by Sen. Heather Steans

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-20.46 new
105 ILCS 5/34-18.37 new
415 ILCS 65/2	from Ch. 5, par. 852
415 ILCS 65/3	from Ch. 5, par. 853
415 ILCS 65/6	from Ch. 5, par. 856

Amends the School Code. Requires each school superintendent to create a program to ensure that students attending the schools that he or she manages cannot access those schools' grounds for at least 12 hours after those grounds are treated with a lawn care product. Requires each district superintendent to appoint a Lawn Care Coordinator whose duty it shall be (i) to implement that program, (ii) to supervise the provision of notice under subdivision (f)(2) of Section 3 of the Lawn Care Products Application and Notice Act, and (3) if the district adopts a pesticide-free turf care program, to supervise that program. Amends the Lawn Care Products Application and Notice Act. Requires applicators for hire to provide additional types of information to customers. Requires the owners or operators of day care centers to provide parents with one of two types of notice before applying pesticide or having pesticide applied to day center grounds (now, only school districts must provide that notice). Requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to inform school boards and the owners and operators of day care centers about these requirements. Requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to report violations to the Department of Agriculture for enforcement. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning safety.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 10-20.46 and 34-18.37 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.46 new)

Sec. 10-20.46. Lawn Care Coordinator; Protection of Students from Lawn Care Products.

(a) Each district superintendent must create a program to ensure that students attending the schools that he or she manages cannot access those schools' grounds for at least 12 hours after those grounds are treated with a lawn care product. For the purpose of this Section, "lawn care product" has the same meaning as that term is defined in the Lawn Care Products Application and Notice Act.

(b) Each district superintendent must appoint a Lawn Care Coordinator whose duty it shall be (i) to implement and supervise the program created under subsection (a) of this Section, (ii) to supervise the provision of notice under subdivision (f)(2) of Section 3 of the Lawn Care Products Application and Notice Act, and (3) if the district adopts a pesticide-free turf care program, to supervise that program.

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.37 new)

Sec. 34-18.37. Lawn Care Coordinator; Protection of Students from Lawn Care Products.

(a) The general superintendent must create a program to ensure that students attending the schools that he or she manages cannot access those schools' grounds for at least 12 hours after those grounds are treated with a lawn care product. For the purpose of this Section, "lawn care product" has the same meaning as that term is defined in the Lawn Care Products Application and Notice Act.

(b) The general superintendent must appoint a Lawn Care Coordinator whose duty it shall be (i) to implement and supervise the program created under subsection (a) of this Section, (ii) to supervise the provision of notice under subdivision (f)(2) of Section 3 of the Lawn Care Products Application and Notice Act, and (3) if the district adopts a pesticide-free turf care program, to supervise that program.

Section 15. The Lawn Care Products Application and Notice Act is amended by changing Sections 2, 3, and 6 as follows:

(415 ILCS 65/2) (from Ch. 5, par. 852)

Sec. 2. Definitions.

For purposes of this Act:

"Application" means the spreading of lawn care products on a lawn.

"Applicator for hire" means any person who makes an application of lawn care products to a lawn or lawns for compensation, including applications made by an employee to lawns owned, occupied or managed by his employer and includes those licensed by the Department as licensed commercial applicators, commercial not-for-hire applicators, licensed public applicators, certified applicators and licensed operators and those otherwise subject to the licensure provisions of the Illinois Pesticide Act, as now or hereafter amended.

"Day care center" means any facility that qualifies as a "day care center" under the Child Care Act of 1969.

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

"Department of Public Health" means the Illinois Department of Public Health.

"Facility" means a building or structure and appurtenances thereto used by an applicator for hire for storage and handling of pesticides or the storage or maintenance of pesticide application equipment or vehicles.

"Fertilizer" means any substance containing nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium or other recognized plant nutrient or compound, which is used for its plant nutrient content.

"Golf course" means an area designated for the play or practice of the game of golf, including surrounding grounds, trees, ornamental beds and the like.

"Golf course superintendent" means any person entrusted with and employed for the care and maintenance of a golf course.

"Lawn" means land area covered with turf kept closely mown or land area covered with turf and trees or shrubs. The term does not include (1) land area used for research for agricultural production or for the commercial production of turf, (2) land area situated within a public or private right-of-way, or (3) land area which is devoted to the production of any agricultural commodity, including, but not limited to plants and plant parts, livestock and poultry and livestock or poultry products, seeds, sod, shrubs and other products of agricultural origin raised for sale or for human or livestock consumption.

"Lawn care products" means fertilizers or pesticides applied or intended for application to lawns.

"Person" means any individual, partnership, association, corporation or State governmental agency, school district, unit of local government and any agency thereof.

"Pesticide" means any substance or mixture of substances defined as a pesticide under the Illinois Pesticide Act, as now or hereafter amended.

"Plant protectants" means any substance or material used to protect plants from infestation of insects, fungi, weeds and rodents, or any other substance that would benefit the overall health of plants.

"Turf" means the upper stratum of soils bound by grass and plant roots into a thick mat.

(Source: P.A. 86-358.)

(415 ILCS 65/3) (from Ch. 5, par. 853)

Sec. 3. Notification requirements for application of lawn care products.

(a) Lawn Markers.

(1) Immediately following application of lawn care products to a lawn, other than a golf course, an applicator for hire shall place a lawn marker at the usual point or points of entry.

(2) The lawn marker shall consist of a 4 inch by 5 inch sign, vertical or horizontal, attached to the upper portion of a dowel or other supporting device with the bottom of the marker extending no less than 12 inches above the turf.

(3) The lawn marker shall be white and lettering on the lawn marker shall be in a contrasting color. The marker shall state on one side, in letters of not less than 3/8 inch, the following: "LAWN CARE APPLICATION - STAY OFF GRASS UNTIL DRY - FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: (here shall be inserted the name and business telephone number of the applicator for hire)."

(4) The lawn marker shall be removed and discarded by the property owner or resident, or such other person authorized by the property owner or resident, on the day following the application. The lawn marker shall not be removed by any person other than the property owner or resident or person designated by such property owner or resident.

(5) For applications to residential properties of 2 families or less, the applicator for hire shall be required to place lawn markers at the usual point or points of entry.

(6) For applications to residential properties of 2 families or more, or for application to other commercial properties, the applicator for hire shall place lawn markers at the usual point or points of entry to the property to provide notice that lawn care products have been applied to the lawn.

(b) Notification requirement for application of plant protectants on golf courses.

(1) Blanket posting procedure. Each golf course shall post in a conspicuous place or places an all-weather poster or placard stating to users of or visitors to the golf course that from time to time plant protectants are in use and additionally stating that if any questions or concerns arise in relation thereto, the golf course superintendent or his designee should be contacted to supply the information contained in subsection (c) of this Section.

(2) The poster or placard shall be prominently displayed in the pro shop, locker rooms and first tee at each golf course.

(3) The poster or placard shall be a minimum size of 8 1/2 by 11 inches and the lettering shall not be less than 1/2 inch.

(4) The poster or placard shall read: "PLANT PROTECTANTS ARE PERIODICALLY APPLIED TO THIS GOLF COURSE. IF DESIRED, YOU MAY CONTACT YOUR GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION."

(c) Information to Customers of Applicators for Hire. At the time of application of lawn care products to a lawn, an applicator for hire shall provide the following information to the customer:

(1) The brand name, or common name, and scientific name of each lawn care product applied;

(2) The type of fertilizer or pesticide contained in the lawn care product applied;

(3) The reason for use of each lawn care product applied;

(4) The range of concentration of end use product applied to the lawn and amount of material applied;

(5) Any special instruction appearing on the label of the lawn care product applicable to the customer's use of the lawn following application; and

(6) The business name and telephone number of the applicator for hire as well as the name of the person actually applying lawn care products to the lawn; and

(7) Upon the request of a customer, a copy of the material safety data sheet for each applied lawn care product.

(d) Prior notification of application to lawn. In the case of all lawns other than golf courses:

(1) Any neighbor whose property abuts or is adjacent to the property of a customer of an applicator for hire may receive prior notification of an application by contacting the applicator for hire and providing his name, address and telephone number.

(2) At least the day before a scheduled application, an applicator for hire shall provide notification to a person who has requested notification pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection (d), such notification to be made in writing, in person or by telephone, disclosing the date and approximate time of day of application.

(3) In the event that an applicator for hire is unable to provide prior notification to a neighbor whose property abuts or is adjacent to the property because of the absence or inaccessibility of the individual, at the time of application to a customer's lawn, the applicator for hire shall leave a written notice at the residence of the person requesting notification, which shall provide the information specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection (d).

(e) Prior notification of application to golf courses.

(1) Any landlord or resident with property that abuts or is adjacent to a golf course may receive prior notification of an application of lawn care products or plant protectants, or both, by contacting the golf course superintendent and providing his name, address and telephone number.

(2) At least the day before a scheduled application of lawn care products or plant protectants, or both, the golf course superintendent shall provide notification to any person who has requested notification pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection (e), such notification to be made in writing, in person or by telephone, disclosing the date and approximate time of day of application.

(3) In the event that the golf course superintendent is unable to provide prior notification to a landlord or resident because of the absence or inaccessibility, at the time of application, of the landlord or resident, the golf course superintendent shall leave a written notice with the landlord or at the residence which shall provide the information specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection (e).

(f) Notification for applications of pesticides to day care center grounds other than day care center structures and school grounds other than school structures.

(1) The owner or operator of a day care center must either (i) maintain a registry of parents and guardians of children in his or her care who have registered to receive written notification before the application of pesticide to day care center grounds and notify persons on that registry before applying pesticides or having pesticide applied to day care center grounds or (ii) provide written notice to all parents and guardians of children in his or her care before applying pesticide or having pesticide applied to day care center grounds.

(2) School districts must either (i) maintain a registry of parents and guardians of students who have registered to receive written notification before prior to the application of pesticide pesticides to school grounds and notify persons on that list before applying pesticide or having pesticide applied to school grounds or (ii) provide written notification to all parents and guardians of students before applying pesticide or having pesticide applied to school grounds such pesticide application.

(3) Written notification required under item (1) or (2) of subsection (f) of this Section may be included in newsletters, bulletins, calendars, or other correspondence currently published by the school district. The written notification must be given at least 2 business days before application of the pesticide and should identify the intended date of the application of the pesticide and the name and telephone contact number for the school personnel responsible for the pesticide application program or, in the case of a day care center, the owner or operator of the day care center. Prior written notice shall not be required if there is imminent threat to health or property. If such a situation arises, the appropriate school personnel or, in the case of a day care center, the owner or operator of the day care center must sign a statement describing the circumstances that gave rise to the health threat and ensure that written notice is provided as soon as practicable.

(Source: P.A. 91-99, eff. 7-9-99; 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)

(415 ILCS 65/6) (from Ch. 5, par. 856)

Sec. 6. This Act shall be administered and enforced by the Department. The Department may promulgate rules and regulations as necessary for the enforcement of this Act. The Department of Public Health must inform school boards and the owners and operators of day care centers about the provisions of this Act that are applicable to school districts and day care centers, and it must inform school boards about the requirements contained in subdivisions 10-20.46 and 34-18.37 of the School Code. The Department of Public Health must recommend that day care centers and schools use a natural lawn care program to maintain their turf. The Department of Public Health must also report violations of this Act of which it becomes aware to the Department for enforcement.

(Source: P.A. 86-358; 87-1033.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.