Bill Text: NJ S4431 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Concerning the use of glyphosate.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-08 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S4431 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S4431-Introduced.html
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.
