The bill establishes a review process that mandates the state noxious weed control board to hold public hearings before listing any agricultural crops as noxious weeds. It emphasizes the importance of communication between agricultural producers and regulators, particularly in light of current economic strains on the agricultural sector. The legislation requires that recommendations for listing be provided by work groups convened by the department of agriculture, which must include affected agricultural producers and at least one member of the board.

Additionally, the bill amends RCW 17.10.080 to include specific guidelines that prohibit the listing of agricultural crops as noxious weeds until the board has received and conducted a public hearing on the recommendations from the aforementioned work groups. The guidelines also stipulate that the board must consider additional scientific data regarding the invasive qualities of proposed species and their economic impacts before making any decisions. This legislative change aims to ensure that the interests of agricultural producers are adequately represented in the decision-making process regarding noxious weed listings.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 17.10.080