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• Introduced by Sen. Jim Honeyford, (R-Sunnyside) (R) on January 26, 2004, to revise codes related to elements of cholinesterase monitoring programs of pesticide handlers. See also Companion HB 2865.
  • Referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee on January 26, 2004.
    • Testimony in support offered to the Senate Agriculture Committee on February 5, 2004, by Chris Cheney, WA Growers League; Jim Jesernig, WA Potato and Onion Assn.; Dan Fazio, WA Farm Bureau, who testified that L&I's report needs to correlate hours of exposure with blood test results. What the department has in mind would not capture that for each test. Last year's appropriation was not sufficient to cover testing costs, so we're working with labor to get that covered. Because use of these pesticides has been decreasing and new protective equipment is more effective, EPA decided not to require nationwide testing. L&I's cost benefit analysis was flawed and biased, not even attempting to quantify benefits, and relied on qualitative justification alone.
    • Testimony in opposition offered to the Senate Agriculture Committee on February 5, 2004, by Michael Silverstein, Dept. of Labor and Industries; Erik Nicholson, VFW; Jeff Johnson, WSLC, AFL-CIO, who testified that while L&I is comfortable with paying the medical bills while we gather and analyze data in 2004, there is concern that the provisions of the bill go far beyond that. Other employers in the state industrial fund would need to subsidize growers for costs incurred. This is an end run around last year's agreement. We should defer to the science panel to determine if thresholds set are sufficient. This bill uses money from a fund workers contribute to, the medical aid fund. Workers should not be subsidizing employer costs related to worker removal benefits. We have no objection to hours exposed being documented, collected and put into a useful database.
  • Substitute offered to the Senate Agriculture Committee on February 6, 2004, to require L&I to collect and analyze specified data to determine whether mandatory testing is warranted. If L&I determines mandatory testing to be warranted, L&I must determine what thresholds of exposure to pesticides should trigger mandatory testing. L&I must use medical aid funds to directly pay all costs for medical services related to baseline and periodic cholinesterase tests and interpretations of such tests. L&I must allow agricultural employers to seek accident fund reimbursement for other rule compliance costs. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 6, 2004.
  • Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on February 6, 2004.
  • Substitute offered to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on February 10, 2004, to remove the provision for payment of medical removal protection benefits. Payments for the tests are limited to tests taken during 2004, 2005 and 2006. The substitute passed in committee on February 10, 2004.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 10, 2004.
• Passed in the Senate (30 to 19) on February 17, 2004, revising codes related to elements of cholinesterase monitoring programs of pesticide handlers. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on February 19, 2004.
  • Referred to the House Commerce & Labor Committee on February 19, 2004.
  • Amendment offered to the House Commerce & Labor Committee on February 26, 2004, to strike the provisions requiring the Department of Labor and Industries to collect and analyze data to determine whether mandatory monitoring is warranted, pay certain costs of cholinesterase tests, and reimburse agricultural employers for certain costs of compliance. A provision expressing the Legislature's intent is added. The amendment was passed in committee but was not adopted by the House upon final passage. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on February 26, 2004.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on February 27, 2004.
  • Amendment offered in the House on March 5, 2004, to add new sections to the bill regarding data collection, analysis reporting requirement payment, reimbursement of costs, and deletes language. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 5, 2004.
• Passed in the House (95 to 0) on March 5, 2004, revising codes related to elements of cholinesterase monitoring programs of pesticide handlers. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on March 10, 2004, and the Senate concurred with the House amendments.
• Passed in the Senate (49 to 0) on March 10, 2004, revising codes related to elements of cholinesterase monitoring programs of pesticide handlers. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Gary Locke on April 1, 2004, revising codes related to elements of cholinesterase monitoring programs of pesticide handlers.