By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 64) of Jason M. Lewis, James K. Hawkins, Sal N. DiDomenico, James B. Eldridge and others for legislation to improve pesticide protections for Massachusetts schoolchildren. Agriculture.
Summary up to date
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
No summary yet. Click the button to generate one.
Date
Branch
Action
12/8/2025
Senate
12/8/2025 SenateAccompanied a study order, see S2805↗
6/27/2025
Joint
6/27/2025 JointReferred, pursuant to an order adopted by the two branches, to the committee on Agriculture and Fisheries
6/26/2025
Joint
6/26/2025 JointHearing scheduled for 07/09/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
2/27/2025
House
2/27/2025 HouseHouse concurred.
2/27/2025
Senate
2/27/2025 SenateReferred to the committee on Agriculture
An Act relative to improving pesticide protections for Massachusetts schoolchildren
Active
5 section(s) · formatted for easier reading
▸SECTION 1
Section 6C of Chapter 132B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “center”, in lines 3, 6 and 10, each time it appears, the following words:- , property occupied by the department of children and families, facilities of the juvenile court, facilities of the department of youth services, sports fields for town youth teams.
▸SECTION 2
Said Section 6C of said Chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “program”, in lines 3, 7 and 11, each time it appears, the following words:- or on properties within 150 feet thereof, including abutters.
▸SECTION 3
Said Section 6C of said Chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “school”, in line 11 and line 27, the following words:- or department.
▸SECTION 4
Said Section 6C of said Chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following new subsection:-
(d) This section shall apply regardless of what entity hires a party to spray, release, deposit or apply pesticides. This section shall apply whether a hiring entity is a public or private owner of real property, a management company for real property, or any other person or legal entity.
▸SECTION 5
Said section 6G of said chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding following paragraph:-
Notwithstanding the forgoing, a school, child care center, public institution of higher education or school age child care program shall only use pesticide products that: (i) are classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as an exempt material pursuant to 40 C.F.R. 152.25, as amended; or (ii) include no active ingredients other than those published in the National List at 7 C.F.R 205.601, as amended; provided, however, that a school, child care center, public institution of higher education or school age child care program may be granted a hardship waiver, at the discretion of the department, for use of a pesticide that does not meet such qualifications.
Show raw text
SECTION 1. Section 6C of Chapter 132B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “center”, in lines 3, 6 and 10, each time it appears, the following words:- , property occupied by the department of children and families, facilities of the juvenile court, facilities of the department of youth services, sports fields for town youth teams.
SECTION 2. Said Section 6C of said Chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “program”, in lines 3, 7 and 11, each time it appears, the following words:- or on properties within 150 feet thereof, including abutters.
SECTION 3. Said Section 6C of said Chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “school”, in line 11 and line 27, the following words:- or department.
SECTION 4. Said Section 6C of said Chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following new subsection:-
(d) This section shall apply regardless of what entity hires a party to spray, release, deposit or apply pesticides. This section shall apply whether a hiring entity is a public or private owner of real property, a management company for real property, or any other person or legal entity.
SECTION 5. Said section 6G of said chapter 132B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding following paragraph:-
Notwithstanding the forgoing, a school, child care center, public institution of higher education or school age child care program shall only use pesticide products that: (i) are classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as an exempt material pursuant to 40 C.F.R. 152.25, as amended; or (ii) include no active ingredients other than those published in the National List at 7 C.F.R 205.601, as amended; provided, however, that a school, child care center, public institution of higher education or school age child care program may be granted a hardship waiver, at the discretion of the department, for use of a pesticide that does not meet such qualifications.