BILL NUMBER: S5039
SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
changing the definition of the word "weed"
 
PURPOSE:
This bill will change the definition of "weed" to target noxious, inva-
sive and otherwise harmful plants, but exclude native species and endan-
gered species.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Environmental Conservation Law 33-0101(45). Section 2
provides an effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The current definition of a weed in the environmental law reflects an
old-fashioned idea that nature is something to be dominated and
exploited. It is now clear that we should rethink environmental conser-
vation in order to combat mass extinction, climate change and environ-
mental degradation. This bill takes a modest step in that direction by
redefining a "weed" to be a non-native, non-endangered plant that is
noxious, harmful, exotic, invasive, injurious or poisonous, and not
simply any plant that someone wants to cut down.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S.4310 of 2023-2024; Referred to Environmental Conservation;
S. 6014 of 2021-22: New bill, Referred to Environmental Conservation
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.