Concerning the use of glyphosate.

S4431

SENATE, No. 4431

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 8, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� LINDA R. GREENSTEIN

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

SYNOPSIS

���� Concerning the use of glyphosate.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
prohibiting the use of glyphosate on State- and
county-owned property.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� As used in P.L.��� ,
c.���� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

���� �Department� means the
Department of Environmental Protection.

���� �Glyphosate� means the
broad-spectrum, systemic herbicide, that is registered as a pesticide by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency, which controls broadleaf weeds
and grasses, protects domestically produced crops, and limits weeds around residential
and commercial properties.

���� �Certified pesticide
applicator� means any person certified and licensed as a pesticide applicator, to
use or supervise the use of pesticides, pursuant to �Pesticide Control Act of
1971,� P.L.1971, c.176 (C.13:1F-1 et seq.).

���� ��Pesticide operator� means
any person trained and licensed as a private or commercial pesticide operator
to use pesticides, pursuant to �Pesticide Control Act of 1971,� P.L.1971, c.176
(C.13:1F-1 et seq.).� �Pesticide operator� also means any person trained as a
commercial pesticide operator, who is under the constant supervision of a
certified pesticide applicator at the time and place of pesticide use.

���� 2.��� It shall be unlawful for
any certified pesticide applicator or pesticide operator to use glyphosate on
State- or county-owned property except for the following:

���� a.� Direct use of glyphosate
in circumstances in which there is no actual or significant threat of direct
human exposure and in which there is no effective, practicable, or viable
alternative; and

���� b.� Permitted uses established
pursuant to regulations promulgated by the department:

���� (i) to maintain critical
public infrastructure;

���� (ii) to ensure public safety;

���� (iii) for habitat management;

���� (iv) for the control of
prohibited invasive species, identified pursuant to P.L.2025, c.290 (C.23:2A-17
et seq.), pests of significant public health importance, noxious weeds
designated by the department as injurious to system health, and the protection
of critical native plant species; and

���� (v) for research on
sustainable alternatives to glyphosate for agricultural and environmental uses,
as well as research regarding the environmental mobility of glyphosate.�

���� 3.��� a.� Any certified
pesticide applicator or pesticide operator must maintain records of any
glyphosate use that was exempted pursuant to section 2 of P.L.��� , c.����
(C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and must make those
records available, upon request, for inspection by the department.� The records
shall contain the following information:

���� (1) the date, time, and
place(s) glyphosate was used;

���� (2) the target pest(s);

���� (3) the amount of glyphosate
used;

���� (4) the entity on behalf of
which glyphosate is being used for, if applicable;

���� (5) the glyphosate use
determination; and

���� (6) the glyphosate
alternatives analysis.

���� b.� The department, upon
receiving the requested report, shall post this information, including details
of each certified pesticide applicator or pesticide operator who is approved
for exempted glyphosate use, on a dedicated page on its Internet website, by
February fifteenth of each year.� When possible, the department shall
incorporate and emphasize details of glyphosate application, as a severable
reported entity, in existing surveys of pesticide use across the State.

���� 4.��� The Commissioner of
Environmental Protection shall, in accordance with the "Administrative
Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and
regulations as necessary to implement this act.

���� 5.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill prohibits the use of
glyphosate herbicide on State- or county-owned property, with certain
exceptions.

���� Pursuant to the bill, no
certified pesticide applicator, nor any pesticide operator, who are trained and
licensed, pursuant to the "Pesticide Control Act of 1971," P.L.1971,
c.176 (C.13:1F-1 et seq.), or trained and under the constant supervision of a
certified pesticide applicator at the time and place of pesticide use, may
apply glyphosate on State- or county-owned property, except in limited
circumstances.

���� The bill exempts, from its
provisions, the use of glyphosate in circumstances in which there is no actual
or significant threat of direct human exposure and in which there is no
effective or practicable alternative.� Glyphosate use may also be permitted if
applied in order to maintain critical public infrastructure, to manage roadside
vegetation, or to ensure public safety.� In certain circumstances, glyphosate
may be used for the purposes of habitat management, for the control of
prohibited invasive species, as identified pursuant to P.L.2025, c.290
(C.23:2A-17 et seq.), to deter pests of significant public health importance,
to eliminate noxious weeds designated by the department as injurious to system
health, or to protect critical native plant species.� Glyphosate may also be
used for the purpose of research on sustainable alternatives to glyphosate for
agricultural and environmental use, or for research regarding the environmental
mobility of glyphosate.

���� Any certified pesticide
applicator or pesticide operator, who uses glyphosate, who was exempted from
the prohibitions of the bill, must make records of that glyphosate use
available upon request to the Department of Environmental Protection.� These
records are to contain information on date, time, and place of glyphosate use,
the target pests, the amount of glyphosate used, the entity on behalf of which
the glyphosate is being applied, the glyphosate use determination, and the
glyphosate alternatives analysis.� Once this information is reported to the
department, the department is required to post the information on a dedicated
page on its Internet website, including information on certified pesticide
applicators and pesticide operators exempted under the bill, by February
fifteenth of each year.� When possible, the department shall incorporate and
emphasize details of glyphosate application, as a severable reported entity, in
existing surveys of pesticide use across the State.