Requires the department of environmental conservation to prepare recommendations for best practices in treating residential properties for tick prevention and management.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2809B
SPONSOR: Barrett TITLE OF BILL:
An act to require the department of environmental conservation to
prepare recommendations for best practices in treating residential prop-
erties for tick prevention and management
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to reduce exposure to ticks at residential
properties, and thereby reduce incidence of Lyme and other tick-borne
diseases, through the development and promotion of best practices in the
prevention of ticks.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
The commissioner of DEC is directed to develop recommendations for best
practices in treating residential properties to reduce exposure to
ticks. The recommendations, due May 15t 2019, shall be updated annually
with current best practices and be available on the Department's
website.
* The amendments to this bill direct the DEC to work in consultation
with Cornell and Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. They also state
that any recommendations made for treating residential properties be
science-based and demonstrated to be safe for people, pets and the envi-
ronment.
JUSTIFICATION:
The most recent reporting by the Center for Disease Control lists New
York State as having the third highest number of confirmed cases of Lyme
Disease in the entire country, and according to the NYS Department of
Health, while it started as an issue dominating Long Island and the
Hudson Valley, it has quickly migrated to counties across New York.
Since it became reportable in 1986, over 95,000 cases of Lyme have been
reported in NYS alone.
Lyme Disease is caused by a bacteria transmitted to humans by the bite
of an infected deer tick and is the most common disease carried by
ticks. Because Lyme and tick-borne diseases are considered a threat to
public health, the State has begun investigating ways to stop their
spread at the source.
Unable to fly and having an affinity for shady, moist areas close to the
ground, ticks often populate bushes, shrubs, gardens and lawns. There-
fore, in order to stop the spread of Lyme and tick-borne diseases,
treatment and management of residential properties has the potential to
help significantly reduce the population of infected ticks.
Homeowners need a reliable source of information to turn to when looking
for answers on how to best protect their property from ticks. They
should be aware of active ingredients approved by the EPA and DEC, as
well as natural remedies and land care practices that are most effective
in tick prevention to better protect both people and pets from exposure.
In order to raise awareness for appropriate and effective methods and to
facilitate the delivery of valuable information, this bill requires the
Commissioner of Environmental Conservation to develop recommendations
for best practices in treating residential properties for tick
prevention and management-the goal ultimately being to rid communities
of ticks that contribute to tick-borne infections. In preparation for
Lyme Awareness Month, the deadline for such recommendations would be May
1st, 2018.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2016: A8110-A Passed Assembly; Died in Senate Encon
2017: A2809 Passed Assembly; 2018: A2809-A Passed Assembly
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately
