| ACTION NEEDED: Contact your State Senator today
in her/his Springfield Office and urge your senator to vote
for passage of HB4407. Passage of this bill will protect public
health and safety by quickly re-enacting the Structural Pest
Control Act, an act which governs the indoor application of
pesticides in Illinois.
BACKGROUND: The Structural Pest Control Act
expired on January 1, 2008. This law contained a sunset provision,
meaning it expires on a certain date unless the Illinois General
Assembly votes to renew it. The bill that would have extended
the sunset beyond December 31, 2007, was never called for
a vote, leading to the repeal of the law. HB4407 amends the
Regulator Sunset Act to extend the repeal of the Structural
Pest Control Act from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2009.
The purpose of the Structural Pest Control Act is to protect, promote
and preserve the public health and general welfare by providing
for the establishment of minimum standards for the use of restricted
pesticides. The law provides for the licensure and registration
of structural pest control operations as well as the certification
of pest control technicians. The Illinois Department of Public Health
is identified as the enforcer of the provisions of the law.
The Structural Pest Control Act also enforces provisions for the
implementation of an integrated pest management (IPM program) in
schools and childcare centers. In the past local Leagues have worked
with school districts in the implementation of IPM policies. In
1999 the LWVIL participated in a campaign organized by the Safer
Pest Control Project and with the coalition formed lobbied successfully
for the amendment to the Structural Pest Control Act requiring the
adoption of an IPM program in schools.
BILL STATUS: HB4407 was introduced by Representative
Elizabeth Coulson on 1/11/2008. It passed out of the House
on 2/22/2008 and arrived in the Senate on 2/27/2008. The Chief
Senate Sponsor is Senator Susan Garrett. It has been placed
on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 13, 2008.
According to Jonathan Goldman, Executive Director of the Illinois
Environmental Council, "Since there is no authority right
now for the State to regulate how pesticides are used or to
take enforcement action, it is imperative that this law be
reinstated as quickly as possible."
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