BILL NUMBER: S2946

SPONSOR: SERINO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
guidelines for best practices in treating residential properties for
integrated pest management

 
PURPOSE:

This bill directs the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation to
develop guidelines for best practices in treating residential properties
for integrated pest management to assist in the prevention of ticks that
contribute to Lyme disease and tick-borne infections.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends Section 33-0303 of the Environmental Conservation Law
to direct the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation to develop
guidelines for best practices in treating residential properties to
reduce exposure to ticks. The guidelines shall be updated annually with
              

current best practices and available on the Department's website.

Section 2: Establishes the bill will be effective 90 days after it shall
have become a law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to recent reporting by the Center for Disease Control (CDC),
New York State has the third highest number of confirmed cases of Lyme
disease in the entire country and according to the NYS Department of
Health (DOH), while it started as an issue dominating Long Island and
the Hudson Valley, it has quickly migrated to counties across New York.
DOH also notes that since it became reportable in 1986, over 95,000
cases of Lyme have been reported to the Department.

Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria transmitted to humans by the bite
of an infected deer tick and is the most common disease carried by
ticks. Because Lyme and tick-borne diseases are considered a threat to
public health and well-being, the state has begun investigating ways to
stop their spread at the source.

Unable to fly and having an affinity for shady, moist areas close to the
ground, ticks often populate bushes, shrubs, gardens and lawns.  There-
fore, in order to stop the spread of Lyme and tick-borne diseases, inte-
grated pest management has the potential to help significantly reduce
the population of infected ticks.

Homeowners need a reliable source of information to turn to when looking
for answers on how to best protect their property from ticks.  They
should be aware of the registered EPA approved pesticides that are
recommended for tick prevention and the methods they can incorporate to
better protect both people and pets from exposure to ticks on their
property.

In order to raise awareness for appropriate and effective methods and to
facilitate the delivery of valuable information, this bill directs the
Commissioner of Environmental Conservation to develop guidelines for
best practices in treating residential properties for integrated pest
management-the goal ultimately being to rid communities of ticks that
contribute to tick-borne infections.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019-20: S.1248 Referred to Environmental Conservation

2017-18: S.2588 Passed Senate

2016: S.5802-A Passed Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
On the ninetieth day after it shall have become law.