Do you work at or service a school or multiple schools? If so, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is seeking your input about the Healthy Schools Act. Feedback from stakeholders—school district staff, child care providers, parents, teachers, and pest management professionals—is being collected throughout 2019 by DPR.
What is the Healthy Schools Act?
When pesticides are used at schools and child care centers in California, the Healthy Schools Act defines requirements for school and child care center staff, pest management professionals, and DPR. The law was originally passed by the California Legislature in 2000. In the almost 20 years since then, the law has been amended multiple times to expand the requirements. The requirements for school and child care center staff and pest management professionals include providing notification, submitting pesticide use reports, and completing training. DPR is required to facilitate the adoption of IPM practices and provide Healthy Schools Act compliance assistance throughout California.
Why is DPR asking for input?
Assembly Bill 2816 (passed in 2018) directs DPR to write a report that evaluates and provides recommendations for the Healthy Schools Act. The report will focus on implementation and compliance of each of the Healthy Schools Act requirements. DPR's School and Child Care IPM Team would like to learn directly from stakeholders about how they have implemented the law, what changes they have made to their pest management practices, and what recommendations they have for improving the law. Real-world experiences from stakeholders will help the Department to write a better report and give practical recommendations.
Stakeholders from throughout the state are encouraged to provide input by emailing DPR at HSAinput@cdpr.ca.gov. The Department's Healthy Schools Act Legislative Report webpage has additional information about the report and stakeholder involvement.
The report is due to the Legislature by January 1, 2021, and DPR needs input from you by December 31, 2019.
The Department of Pesticide Regulation's School and Child Care IPM Team would like to thank you in advance for contributing to this effort. Please direct any questions and feedback about the Healthy Schools Act Legislative Report to DPR at HSAinput@cdpr.ca.gov