Existing law requires every manufacturer of, importer of, or dealer in any pesticide, as defined, to obtain a certificate of registration from the Department of Pesticide Regulation before the pesticide is offered for sale, except as specified. Under existing law, a violation of that requirement, and other provisions and regulations related to pesticides, is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $5,000 and not more than $50,000, or by imprisonment of not more than 6 months, or by both the fine and imprisonment.
This bill would require the Director of Pesticide Regulation to adopt regulations to govern the use and disposal of seeds treated with a pesticide and to prohibit the use of seeds treated with a pesticide that meets specified conditions. Because a violation of these regulations would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would prohibit, on and after January 1, 2026, a person from selling, delivering, or using seeds treated with a pesticide if that pesticide is not registered for use. The bill would require, on and after January 1, 2025, a use report to be submitted by, or on behalf of, a grower to the director or a county agricultural commissioner when seeds treated with a pesticide are used by the grower in the state and would require the director or commissioner, on and after January 1, 2026, to annually report to the public the pounds of pesticides applied as seed treatment in California and the cumulative acres planted with seeds treated with a pesticide in California, as specified. By imposing this reporting requirement on county agricultural commissioners, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.
Existing law requires the director to endeavor to eliminate from use in the state any pesticide that endangers the agricultural or nonagricultural environment, is not beneficial for the purposes for which it is sold, or is misrepresented, as specified.
This bill would require the director to endeavor to eliminate from use in the state seeds treated with a pesticide that satisfy any of those same criteria.
Existing law requires the director to prohibit or regulate the use of environmentally harmful materials, as specified.
This bill would expressly require the director to prohibit or regulate the use of seeds treated with a pesticide as environmentally harmful materials under that law.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Statutes affected:
03/16/23 - Amended Assembly: 12824 FAC, 14102 FAC
06/15/23 - Amended Senate: 12824 FAC, 14102 FAC