HB221 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 3 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PESTICIDES.

Agriculture

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Carson
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: Signed 4/23/26
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how the increased revenue will be used beyond covering regulatory costs.

Delaware Pesticide Registration Fee Increase Act

This act increases the biennial pesticide registration fee from up to $140 to a maximum of $500 and makes technical corrections.

What This Bill Does

Increases the biennial pesticide registration fee from up to $140 to a maximum of $500.
Updates the language in the Delaware Code to follow standard drafting rules.

Who It Names or Affects

Pesticide manufacturers and distributors who need to register their products with the Department of Agriculture.

Terms To Know

Biennial: Happening every two years.
Registration fee: Money paid to a government agency for permission to sell or use something regulated by that agency.

Limits and Unknowns

The exact effective date of the new fees is not specified in the bill text.
It does not specify how the increased revenue will be used beyond covering costs related to pesticide regulation.

Bill History

2026-04-23 Delaware General Assembly
Signed by Governor
2026-03-25 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
2026-03-11 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Agriculture) in Senate with 7 Favorable
2026-01-20 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 3 ABSENT
2026-01-20 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Agriculture Committee in Senate
2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Agriculture) in House with 8 On Its Merits
2025-06-18 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Agriculture Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 3 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PESTICIDES.
This Act allows the Department of Agriculture to increase the biennial pesticide registration fee, which currently may not exceed $140, up to a maximum fee of $500. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 10 of Article VIII of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to increase the effective rate of any tax levied or license fee imposed.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Carson & Sen. Huxtable

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 221

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 3 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PESTICIDES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Three-fifths of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):

Section 1. Amend § 1203, Title 3 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1203. Regulation; duties and powers of Department.

(a) In order to regulate the sale

and/or

and

use of pesticides and devices in this State, the Department shall, by regulation, provide that every pesticide and device distributed

and/or

used within this State shall be duly registered with the Department. The Department, with the approval of the Secretary of Agriculture, shall establish a biennial registration fee, not to exceed

$140,

$500,

for each pesticide or device registered. The fee established by the Secretary of Agriculture shall approximate and reasonably reflect all costs necessary to defray the expenses of the Department’s activities pursuant to this chapter. At the beginning of each calendar year, the Department shall compute the appropriate pesticide or device registration fee. All revenue generated by this fee shall be deposited in an appropriated special fund account in the Department of Agriculture.

SYNOPSIS

This Act allows the Department of Agriculture to increase the biennial pesticide registration fee, which currently may not exceed $140, up to a maximum fee of $500. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 10 of Article VIII of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to increase the effective rate of any tax levied or license fee imposed.