Existing Legislation

The Healthy Schools Act of 2000
After a three-year campaign to highlight the widespread threat pesticides pose to our children's health, Governor Gray Davis signed the Healthy Schools Act into law in California in September 2000.

The law requires school districts to:

• notify parents annually about what pesticides the district intends to use in their children's schools and on school grounds during the following year;
• provide parents the option to register to be notified 48 hours in advance of all pesticide applications;
• post notice at all entry points of an area treated with pesticides at least 24 hours before and 72 hours after application;
• maintain records of all pesticide use for 4 years in an accessible format available upon request.
  

The law requires the state's Department of Pesticide Regulation to:

• provide training for interested school district personnel in least-toxic integrated pest management techniques;
• distribute a manual to all schools in least-toxic integrated pest management;
• maintain a website with information to help schools comply with the law and implement least-toxic pest management.
  

Healthy Day Cares Act

The Healthy Schools Act of 2000 established right-to-know procedures for pesticide use in California’s public schools and deemed least-toxic pest management methods as the preferable method of pest control in schools. The law directs the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) to support schools in their integrated pest management (IPM) efforts, emphasizing pest prevention instead of pesticide spraying. DPR’s School IPM Program is charged with organizing IPM trainings, creating an IPM guidebook, developing a website, and generally assisting school districts with implementing IPM. The Healthy Day Cares Act extends these requirements to private day care facilities (excludes family day care homes).

The extension of the Healthy Schools Act to day cares requires such facilities to notify parents about pesticide applications and to post notices in areas treated with pesticides. The bill also would provide day care providers with trainings on least-toxic IPM techniques to help them create a safer environment in which to care for our most vulnerable population.

For more information, please visit: http://www.schoolipm.info/