HB 1984 Summary

• Establishes a new regulatory framework in Chapter 27, Hawaii Revised Statutes, governing pesticides and fertilizers used on state property, effective July 1, 2023.

• Allows only specific substances on state property including items on the federal National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, minimum risk pesticides, disinfectants, insect repellents, rodent control products, swimming pool supplies, paints and wood preservatives, and citric acid.

• Prohibits other pesticides and fertilizers on state property except when used to control mosquitoes, building-damaging pests (fire ants, termites), or invasive species causing economic or environmental harm, and exempts agricultural parks and whole structure fumigation on school property.

• Requires state departments and agencies to obtain a waiver from the Department of Agriculture to use prohibited substances, with applications requiring location maps, landscape plans, environmental assessments, cost estimates, and demonstration that alternative methods are insufficient.

• Grants waivers for up to two years upon finding that a public health and safety threat exists and that alternative methods are inadequate; applications deemed approved if not addressed within 180 days.