What's happening
This bill prohibits nonemergency pesticide use in municipal and state park lands and requires public notice before any application.
Why it matters
Reduces public exposure to pesticides. By banning nonemergency pesticide applications in municipal and state park lands, the bill aims to protect the health of park visitors, including children, pets, and vulnerable populations, from potentially harmful chemical residues.
Promotes environmental protection. The restriction helps safeguard local ecosystems, pollinators, and water sources from pesticide runoff and accumulation, supporting biodiversity and ecological resilience in public green spaces.
Enhances transparency and public engagement. The 72-hour notice requirement ensures that the public is informed ahead of any allowed pesticide use, giving people time to avoid treated areas and fostering greater accountability and trust in park management.
Supports a shift to safer pest management. By defining and exempting microbial and biochemical pesticides, the bill encourages the use of less toxic, more environmentally friendly alternatives for managing pests in public parks.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Pesticides in Public Parks
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 29
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1304
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Pesticides in Public Parks
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1363
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2025
Introduced by Sens. SERRANO, ADDABBO, COMRIE, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, PARKER, PERSAUD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting the nonemergency application of pesticide or lawn care pesticide within any municipal park lands and lands under the jurisdiction of the state office of parks, recreation and historic preservation and requiring notice of pesticide application
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new section 37-0123 to read as follows: § 37-0123. Prohibition of nonemergency application of pesticide or lawn
care pesticide.
1. No person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company, corporation, municipality or government entity shall allow or implement the nonemergency application of pesticide or lawn care pesticide in any municipal park lands and lands under the jurisdiction of the state office of parks, recreation and historic preservation.
2. Prior to any application of pesticide or lawn care pesticide, the office shall provide public notice at least seventy-two hours prior to such application. Such public notice shall remain posted on the premise and on any internet web site operated by the office for seventy-two hours.
3. For the purposes of this section:
(a) "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 in a tamper resistant container;
(b) "lawn care pesticide" means a pesticide registered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and labeled pursuant to the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03137-01-5
federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act for use in lawn, garden and ornamental sites or areas, but shall not include any:
(1) microbial pesticide or biochemical pesticide that is registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency; or
(2) a pesticide classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as an exempt material under 40 CFR 152.25;
(c) "microbial pesticide" means a pesticide that consists of a microorganism as the active ingredient; and
(d) "biochemical pesticide" means a naturally occurring substance that controls pests by nontoxic mechanisms.
4. The department is authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as it shall deem necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting the nonemergency application of pesticide or lawn care pesticide within any municipal park lands and lands under the jurisdic- tion of the state office of parks, recreation and historic preservation and requiring notice of pesticide application
Purpose
This bill prohibits the nonemergency application of pesticides on park grounds.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill adds a new section 37-0115 of the Environmental Conservation Law to prohibit the nonemergency application of pesticide' or lawn care pesticide to any park or other nature, recreation, and historic area, and requiring advance public notice regarding the appli- cation of pesticides on such areas.
Section two of the bill is the effective date.
Justification
Pesticides pose a variety of human health risks and negative impacts on the environment. Pesticide exposure has been associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, developmental disorders in children, and have been linked to a disruption of endocrine function. In addi- tion, a number of pesticides have been identified as persistent and toxic pollutants.
Parks are intended to be a preservation of nature, while providing safe and enjoyable educational and entertainment value for people of all ages. The use of chemical pesticides are inconsistent with these intentions: Parks should be held in trust for the public by the State and municipalities. This bill will help ensure that parks remain as nature intended for today's generation and generations to come.
Legislative history
2015-2016: S7445 - Referred to Environmental Conservation
2017-2018: S3086 - Referred to Environmental Conservation
2019-2020: S4771 - Referred to Environmental Conservation
2021-2022: S1428 - Referred to Environmental Conservation
2023-2024: S1606 - Referred to Environmental Conservation
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.