Section 10-231c - Pesticide applications at schools without an integrated pest management plan. Prior notice(a) As used in this section, "local or regional board of education" means a local or regional board of education that does not have an integrated pest management plan for the schools under its control that is consistent with an applicable model plan provided by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection under section 22a-66l and "school" means a school, other than a regional agricultural science and technology education center, under the control of a local or regional board of education.(b) On and after July 1, 2000, at the beginning of each school year, each local or regional board of education shall provide the staff of each school and the parents or guardians of each child enrolled in each school with a written statement of the board's policy on pesticide application on school property and a description of any pesticide applications made at the school during the previous school year. Such statement and description shall be provided to the parents or guardian of any child who transfers to a school during the school year. Such statement shall (1) indicate that the staff, parents or guardians may register for prior notice of pesticide applications at the school, and (2) describe the emergency notification procedures provided for in this section. Notice of any modification to the pesticide application policy shall be sent to any person who registers for notice under this section.(c)(1) On and after July 1, 2000, parents or guardians of children in any school and school staff may register for prior notice of pesticide application at their school. Each school shall maintain a registry of persons requesting such notice. Prior to providing for any application of pesticide within any building or on the grounds of any school, the local or regional board of education shall provide for the transmittal of notice, by electronic mail, to parents and guardians who have registered for prior notice under this section such that such electronic mail notice is received no later than twenty-four hours prior to such application. Notice shall be given by any means practicable to school staff who have registered for such notice. Notice under this subsection shall include (A) the name of the active ingredient of the pesticide being applied, (B) the target pest, (C) the location of the application on the school property, (D) the date of the application, and (E) the name of the school administrator, or a designee, who may be contacted for further information.(2) On and after October 1, 2015, prior to providing for any application of pesticide within any building or on the grounds of any school, in addition to the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the local or regional board of education shall provide for notice of such application not less than twenty-four hours prior to such application by posting the notice required by subdivision (1) of this subsection either on or through: (A) The home page of the Internet web site for the school where such application will occur, or, in the event such school does not have a web site, on the home page of the Internet web site for such local or regional board of education, and (B) the primary social media account of such school or local or regional board of education. Each local or regional board of education shall indicate on the home page of such board of education how parents may register for prior notice of pesticide applications, as described in subdivision (1) of this subsection. Not later than March fifteenth of each year, the local or regional board of education shall send through the electronic mail notification or alert system or service of such school or local or regional board of education the notice required by subdivision (1) of this subsection for applications made since January first of such year and a listing of such notices for applications made during the March fifteenth through December thirty-first time frame from the preceding calendar year. The local or regional board of education shall additionally print such electronic mail notification required by this subdivision in the applicable parent handbook or manual, provided nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to require the reprinting of such handbook or manual to provide such notification. Nothing in this subdivision shall require the development or use of an Internet web site, social media account or electronic mail notification or alert system that is not already in use or existence prior October 1, 2015. For purposes of this section, "social media" means an electronic medium where users may create and view user-generated content, such as uploaded or downloaded videos or still photographs, blogs, video blogs, podcasts or instant messages.(d) On and after July 1, 2000, no application of pesticide may be made in any building or on the grounds of any school during regular school hours or during planned activities at any school except that an emergency application may be made to eliminate an immediate threat to human health if (1) it is necessary to make the application during such a period, and (2) such emergency application does not involve a restricted use pesticide, as defined in section 22a-47. No child may enter an area where such application has been made until it is safe to do so according to the provisions on the pesticide label.(e) On and after July 1, 2000, a local or regional board of education may make an emergency application of pesticide without prior notice under this section in the event of an immediate threat to human health provided the board provides for notice, by any means practicable, on or before the day that the application is to take place to any person who has requested prior notice under this section and concomitantly provides such notice in accordance with subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section.(f) A copy of the record of each pesticide application at a school shall be maintained at the school for a period of five years. Such record shall include the information required under section 22a-66a.Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-231c
( P.A. 99-165, S. 3, 6; P.A. 08-152, S. 9; 08-170, S. 27; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 436.)
Amended by P.A. 15-0005, S. 436 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2015 Special Session, eff. 10/1/2015.