An act relating to prohibiting the use and sale of the herbicide paraquat

The section requiring the Agricultural Innovation Board to study and report on alternatives to paraquat (including pesticide alternatives, reduced-exposure practices, and transition methods for farmers) is absent from the unofficial version. The report was due January 15, 2027.

The 13 legislative findings documenting paraquat's health risks, EPA history, and international bans are omitted from the unofficial full-text version.

The official version had a split effective date: the alternatives study section took effect July 1, 2026, while all other sections took effect November 1, 2026. The unofficial version uses a single effective date of November 1, 2026 for the entire act.

The official short-form version contains an internal inconsistency in subsection (c): one passage limits permits to 'fruit-producing tree orchards only on or before November 1, 2030' while the full statutory text later in the same document broadens this to include USDA Crop Group 13-07 (Berry and Small Fruit) with a December 31, 2030 deadline. The unofficial version contains only the broader language.

The entire findings section (13 findings about paraquat's health risks, EPA history, and international bans) was removed from the enacted version.

The authorized use exemption was expanded from only 'fruit-producing tree orchards' to also include 'growing any crop listed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Crop Group 13-07: Berry and Small Fruit Crop Group.'

Section 3 requiring the Agricultural Innovation Board to study and report on alternatives to paraquat for farmers, including transition methods and alternative pesticides, was removed entirely.

New permit conditions were added requiring: (1) drift minimization based on EPA-identified drift mitigation measures, (2) adherence to label directions to minimize applicator exposure, and (3) exclusive limitation of applications to tree rows or vine rows for necessary weed control.

The deadline for issuing paraquat permits was extended from November 1, 2030 to December 31, 2030.

The effective date structure was simplified from two dates (July 1, 2026 for findings and study section; November 1, 2026 for the rest) to a single effective date of November 1, 2026.

The permit specification language was changed from 'specify the paraquat' to 'specify the name on the label of the paraquat,' making the identification requirement more specific.

The short-form header section listing all sponsoring representatives, committee referral, subject line, and statement of purpose was removed from the official version.

The full text of Sections 1 through 4 (findings, prohibition and authorized use provisions, alternatives study, and effective dates) is now included in the official version, replacing the placeholder that read 'TEXT OMITTED IN SHORT-FORM BILLS.'

Header formatting changed from 'AS PASSED BY HOUSE' to 'BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE' and page count increased from 6 to 7 pages to accommodate the full text.

A new Section 1 (Findings) was added with 13 numbered findings documenting paraquat's health effects (Parkinson's disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, childhood leukemia), its EPA registration history, the EU ban, and the rationale for state-level action rather than waiting for federal resolution.

Section 2(a) defines paraquat to include four specific chemical forms with CAS registry numbers: paraquat (4685-14-7), paraquat dichloride (1910-42-5), paraquat dimethyl sulfate (2074-50-2), and paraquat bipyridinium ion with all salts thereof.

The introduced version described exemptions for 'environmental or agricultural emergencies' generally, while the passed version narrows the exemption to fruit-producing tree orchards only, with a hard deadline of November 1, 2030. Permits are limited to three years maximum.

Certified applicators must have completed all EPA and state-required training within one year prior to receiving a permit. Permits must specify the paraquat type, uses, crops or plants, effective date, duration, and geographic scope (which may include specific farms, fields, or properties).

The Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets must submit an annual report to the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry and the Senate Committee on Agriculture by December 15 each year, including the amount of paraquat used and the date and location of use.

Section 3 requires the Agricultural Innovation Board to submit a report on alternatives to paraquat (including pesticide alternatives, exposure reduction practices, and transition methods) to both legislative agriculture committees by January 15, 2027.

Section 4 sets staggered effective dates: July 1, 2026 for the study/reporting provisions (Sec. 3), and November 1, 2026 for the prohibition and permit provisions (Sec. 2).