Bill Text: NY S04876 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Requires the preparation of recommendations for best practices in treating livestock and farm property for Asian longhorned tick treatment, prevention and management.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)

Status: (Passed) 2019-12-16 - APPROVAL MEMO.58 [S04876 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S04876-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          4876
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                     March 28, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen. METZGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
        AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
          including  the Asian longhorned tick on the invasive species list; and
          the agriculture and markets law, in relation to requiring the prepara-
          tion of recommendations for best practices in treating  livestock  and
          farm  properties  for Asian longhorned tick treatment, prevention, and
          management
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1.    Legislative  Findings. The legislature hereby finds and
     2  declares that the introduction of the Asian longhorned  tick  (Haemaphy-
     3  salis  longicornis)  represents  a  significant threat to New York live-
     4  stock. The Asian longhorned tick is the first new  invasive  species  of
     5  ticks  to  enter the United States in 50 years. It is currently found in
     6  eight states including parts of New York. As the  climate  continues  to
     7  warm,  their geographic reach will continue to expand across the Eastern
     8  seaboard. The Asian longhorned tick  can  rapidly  reproduce  asexually,
     9  laying  thousands  of  eggs  at a time allowing for rapid proliferation.
    10  They are attracted to and can transmit diseases  to  livestock  such  as
    11  sheep,  cattle,  and  horses.  In Asia, the species carries a virus that
    12  kills 15 percent of victims through  hemorrhaging,  organ  failure,  and
    13  blood  loss. The legislature hereby declares that due to the significant
    14  risks of the Asian longhorned tick to the  livestock  industry,  farmers
    15  need  to  be made aware of the dangers presented by the Asian longhorned
    16  tick.  Therefore, the legislature seeks to provide farmers with a  reli-
    17  able source of information to turn to when looking for answers on how to
    18  best protect their livestock and farm properties.
    19    §  2.  The  environmental  conservation law is amended by adding a new
    20  section 9-1711 to read as follows:
    21  § 9-1711. Asian longhorned tick.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08422-01-9
        S. 4876                             2
     1    The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of the depart-
     2  ment of agriculture and markets, shall add the Asian longhorned tick  to
     3  the state invasive species list and include the Asian longhorned tick in
     4  the  comprehensive  plan  for  invasive  species  management pursuant to
     5  section  9-1705  of  this  title,  and  wherever practical, prohibit and
     6  actively eliminate or otherwise control the invasive species  the  Asian
     7  longhorned  tick  at  project  sites funded or regulated by the state in
     8  collaboration with the council, aid in the review and reform of relevant
     9  regulatory processes to remove unnecessary impediments to  the  restora-
    10  tion  of  invaded ecosystems, and include information on the Asian long-
    11  horned tick on statewide databases and clearinghouses that  incorporates
    12  existing  data  from agencies and organizations in the state, as well as
    13  from nearby states, provinces, Canada, and the federal government.
    14    § 3. Section 16 of the agriculture  and  markets  law  is  amended  by
    15  adding a new subdivision 50 to read as follows:
    16    50.  To  develop, in consultation with the commissioner of the depart-
    17  ment of health, best-practice recommendations for treatment,  prevention
    18  and  management  of livestock and farm property against Asian longhorned
    19  ticks. Such recommendations shall be  based  upon  scientific  data  and
    20  shall  include,  but  not be limited to, the use of landscape techniques
    21  demonstrated to be safe for livestock, people, pets and the environment,
    22  methods to discourage rodent activity, and the use of  effective  active
    23  ingredients,  as  defined  in  subdivision one of section 33-0101 of the
    24  environmental conservation law,  including  usage  information  and  any
    25  label  warnings or caution statements. The commissioner, in consultation
    26  with the New  York  state  land  grant  university,  shall  develop  and
    27  distribute  to  farmers  a  pamphlet on Asian longhorned tick treatment,
    28  management, and prevention.   Such pamphlet  and  recommendations  shall
    29  also be made available on the department's website.
    30    §  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect  on  the fifteenth of April next
    31  succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective imme-
    32  diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
    33  necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective  date  are
    34  authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.