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S3235
SENATE, No. 3235
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 2, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
���� The �Safe Playing Fields Act�; restricts use of lawn
care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning the use of lawn care pesticides at
child care centers and certain schools, and supplementing Title 13 of the
Revised Statutes.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� This act shall be known
and may be cited as the �Safe Playing Fields Act.�
���� 2.��� As used in this act:
���� "Charter school"
means a school established pursuant to P.L.1995, c.426 (C.18A:36A-1 et seq.).
���� "Child care center"
means a child care center licensed pursuant to the provisions of the �Child
Care Center Licensing Act,� P.L.1983, c.492 (C.30:5B-1 et seq.).
���� "Lawn care
pesticide" means any pesticide labeled, designed or intended for use on
lawns, gardens, turf or ornamental plants.
���� "Low impact
pesticide" means a low impact pesticide as defined pursuant to section 3
of P.L.2002, c.117 (C.13:1F-21).
���� "Pesticide" means a
pesticide as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2002, c.117 (C.13:1F-21) but
shall not include a "low impact pesticide."
���� "Playground" means a
playground as defined pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1999, c.50 (C.52:27D-123.9).
���� "Recreational field"
means an athletic playing field.
���� "School" means any
public school or private school as defined in N.J.S.18A:1-1.
���� 3.��� a.� No lawn care
pesticide shall be applied on the grounds of any child care center, including a
playground or recreational field located at the child care center, except that
a lawn care pesticide may be applied as an emergency response to eliminate an immediate
threat to human health.� Such emergency shall be determined by the chief
executive or owner, as appropriate, of the child care center.
���� b.��� No child enrolled at a
child care center shall be permitted access to a pesticide treated area for at
least seven hours after the application.
���� c.���� No later than one year
after the effective date of this act, the Commissioner of Environmental
Protection, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, shall adopt rules
and regulations in accordance with the �Administrative Procedure Act,�
P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), concerning pesticide application, record
keeping, and staff and parental notification procedures at child care centers
consistent with the goal of mitigating potential health risks to young children
by reducing or eliminating the use of pesticides, and by first considering the
use of low impact pesticides.
���� 4.��� No lawn care pesticide
shall be applied on the grounds of any school, including a playground or
recreational field located at the school, which enrolls students in
kindergarten or in any grade between grade one through eight, except that a
lawn care pesticide may be applied as an emergency response to eliminate an
immediate threat to human health.� Such emergency shall be determined by the
superintendent of the school district, the board of trustees of a charter
school, or the principal or chief administrator of a private school, as applicable,
in consultation with the local health officer, as appropriate.
���� 5.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the 13th month following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
���� This bill would be known as
the �Safe Playing Fields Act,� and would restrict the use of lawn care
pesticides on the grounds of any child care center and certain schools.
���� The bill would prohibit the
use of lawn care pesticides on the grounds of any child care center, except as
an emergency response to an immediate threat to human health, and would
restrict child access to pesticide treated areas for at least seven hours after
the application.
���� In addition, the bill would
prohibit the use of lawn care pesticides on the grounds of any school which
enrolls students in kindergarten or in any grade between grade one through
eight, except as an emergency response to an immediate threat to human health,
as determined by school officials, in consultation with the local health
officer, as appropriate.
���� The bill would direct the
Commissioner of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Commissioner
of Health, to adopt rules and regulations concerning pesticide application,
record keeping, and staff and parental notification procedures at child care
centers with the goal of mitigating potential health risks to young children.
���� The bill defines a �lawn care
pesticide� as any pesticide labeled, designed, or intended for use on lawns,
gardens, turf or ornamental plantings, and the definition of �pesticide�
excludes low impact pesticides as defined pursuant to current law.
���� The bill would take effect on
the first day of the 13th month following the date of enactment of the bill
into law.