Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2018

Bill: 116-s-483
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2019-02-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental regulatory procedures
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Licensing and registrations
Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor
Pest management
User charges and fees
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2019-02-13
text: 
This bill enacts into law the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2018 (115HR1029) from the 115th Congress, as passed by the Senate.

action_date: 2019-03-08
text: 

Pesticide Registration 

Improvement Extension

 Act of 2018

 
This bill revises requirements for pesticide registration applications and their corresponding maintenance fees and registration service fees.
 
(Sec. 2) The bill extends the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to collect annual fees to maintain the registration of pesticides (maintenance fees) through FY2023. 
 
Additionally, the bill increases the maximum (1) amount that the EPA may collect in total maintenance fees from $27.8 million per fiscal year to $31 million for each of FY2019-FY2023; and (2) annual maintenance fees for pesticide registrants, including small business registrants.
 
The bill extends until the end of FY2025 a prohibition on levying pesticide registration fees not otherwise authorized as maintenance or registration service fees. 
The bill extends the prohibition on levying fees for applications involving pesticide chemical residues (tolerance fees) until the end of FY2023. 
(Sec. 3) The bill expands the permissible uses of the fees collected and deposited in the Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund, including by allowing the fees to be used for any review under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 required as part of the pesticide registration review. 
 
The bill also establishes set-asides of funds for (1) the development and implementation of performance data requirements for products claiming efficacy against certain invertebrate pests of significant public importance, such as bed bugs; and (2) monitoring good laboratory practices with respect to inspections and data audits conducted in support of pesticide product registrations.
 
The set-aside of funds for review of inert ingredients is extended through FY2023. 
 
(Sec. 4) Applications for an experimental use permit must conform to the requirements governing pesticide registration applications.
 
(Sec. 5) The bill extends through FY2025 the authority of the EPA to collect pesticide registration service fees, with a two-year phaseout period in FY2024 and FY2025. The EPA must increase by 5% the application fees for covered applications of pesticides that are received in FY2020 and FY2021. After that, the EPA must increase the application fee by an additional 5%. 
 
No waiver or fee reduction may be provided for a letter of certification of registration, which is commonly referred to as a Gold Seal letter. 
The set-asides of funds for worker protection, partnership grants, and pesticide safety education are extended until FY2023. Funds for worker protection must emphasize field workers. 
The EPA must also evaluate the application review process, including identifying opportunities for streamlining the review of a new active ingredient in a pesticide or a new use of a pesticide.
 
The bill extends and revises reporting requirements, including by requiring the EPA to provide additional information about pesticide cases it reviewed and the number of registration review decisions it completed. 
 
(Sec. 6) The bill revises the fee requirements for pesticide registration applications and their registration service fees. This includes revision of existing fees, the addition of new fee categories, and the revision of time frames in which the EPA is required to complete review of a requested action. 
 
(Sec. 7) The bill directs the EPA to implement specified final rules without revision by the end of FY2021. Specifically, the EPA must implement the final rules titled (1) &quot;Pesticides; Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Revisions&quot; published on November 2, 2015, and (2) &quot;Pesticides; Certification of Pesticide Applicators&quot; published on January 4, 2017. 
 
The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of workplace requirements for providing pesticide safety information to employees.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-08
text: Became Public Law No: 116-8.
action_date: 2019-03-08
text: Became Public Law No: 116-8.
action_date: 2019-03-08
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2019-03-08
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2019-03-06
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2019-03-06
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2019-03-04
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2019-02-28
text: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S.483 by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2019-02-28
text: Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S.483 by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2019-02-28
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1606)
action_date: 2019-02-26
text: Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
action_date: 2019-02-25
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2019-02-25
text: On passage Passed without objection. (text: CR H2068-2087)
action_date: 2019-02-25
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.(text: CR H2068-2087)
action_date: 2019-02-25
text: Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H2068-2087)
action_date: 2019-02-25
text: Mr. Peterson asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
action_date: 2019-02-15
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2019-02-15
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2019-02-15
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2019-02-14
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S1394; text: CR S1394)
action_date: 2019-02-14
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.(consideration: CR S1394; text: CR S1394)
action_date: 2019-02-14
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 26.
action_date: 2019-02-13
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2019-02-13
text: Introduced in Senate

Enacted as: number: 116-8