Support Letters Deadline Tuesday 3/19 5pm

Dear California residents,

The deadline for support letters is Tuesday the week prior to the hearing: March 19, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. The first hearing for AB 468 is scheduled on Wednesday, March 27th at 1:30 p.m. in Room 4202 of the State Capitol.

Individuals and groups based in California may send letters to the author, Assemblyman Muratsuchi and also to the Assembly Education Committee. The first hearing on the bill is March 27th in Assembly Education Committee. 

Copy and paste email addresses of Education Committee, Author and staff:

assemblymember.odonnell@assembly.ca.gov

cc: sophia.kwong@asm.ca.gov, assemblymember.kiley@assembly.ca.gov, joshua.hoover@asm.ca.gov, assemblymember.kalra@assembly.ca.gov, assemblymember.mccarty@assembly.ca.gov, assemblymember.smith@assembly.ca.gov, annie.chow@asm.ca.gov, assemblymember.weber@assembly.ca.gov, victoria.harris@asm.ca.gov, pamela.sheppard@asm.ca.gov, dianabina@sbcglobal.net

SAMPLE LETTER:

(DATE)

The Honorable Patrick O'Donnell, Chairman
Assembly Education Committee
1020 N Street, Room 159
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Chairman O’Donnell and Members,

Our organization (organization name) strongly supports Assembly Bill 468 (Muratsuchi), requiring use of Organic Landscape Management Practices at schoolsites where children learn and play.

Also known as the “Children’s School Environment Act”, AB 468 protects children from toxic pesticide exposure at schoolsites and child day care centers by using organic landscape management practices in outdoor places, including playgrounds, turf and athletic fields.

The measure is sponsored by California Guild and co-sponsored by Non Toxic Communities and Beyond Pesticides.

Beyond Pesticides defines “organic landscape management” as a problem solving strategy that supports natural cycling of nutrients that nature has put in motion –- a “feed the soil approach” that centers on natural, organic fertilization, soil amendments, compost teas, etc. as needed with high quality finished compost.” (1)

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “Children are at higher risk for health effects from pesticide exposure than adults because their internal organs are still developing and maturing. (2) AAP notes: “Pesticide exposure in children has been linked to attention and
learning problems, as well as cancer.”

Characteristic signs of pesticide poisoning, as reported by AAP, include the following seven symptoms: 1) headaches; 2) dizziness/weakness; 3) muscle twitching; 4) difficulty breathing; 5) skin rashes; 6) eye burning and 7) change in overall level of alertness. (3)

According to Beyond Pesticides, “The real costs related to pesticide exposure and use include those of health care, lost productivity and income and environmental damage (i.e. loss of environmental services and biodiversity; and compromised air, water and soil quality.”) (4)

The States of Connecticut 5 and New York 6 have enacted laws prohibiting toxic pesticide use on schoolsites and child day care centers. Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (Connecticut DEEP) has found that once established, an organic lawn uses less water and fertilizers and requires less labor for mowing and maintenance. (7)

We call for support of AB 468 by the Assembly Education Committee.

 

Best regards,
(your Signature here)
YOUR NAME
Your Organization

cc: Honorable Al Muratsuchi, 66 th Assembly District (D-Torrance);
Honorable Kevin Kiley, 6 th Assembly District (R-Rocklin), Vice-Chair, Assembly Education Committee; Robert Becker, Republican Caucus Consultant; Jocelyn Twilla, Secretary of Assembly Committee on Education; Sophia Kwong, Staff of Assembly Education Committee;
Brian Singh, Staff for Assemblyman Muratsuchi; Diana Rudé, Legislative Advocate, California Guild

 

References:

(1) Drew Toher, Drew, Beyond Pesticides, https://beyondpesticides.org/

(2) “Protecting Children From Pesticides: Information for Parents,” The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP Policy Statement, Pesticides Exposure in Children, https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Protecting-Children-from-Pesticides-Information-for-Parents.aspx

(3) Ibid

(4) Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog; Blog Archive $340 Billion in Annual Disease-Related Costs Associated with Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2019/03/340-billion-in-annual-disease-related-costs-associated-with-endocrine-disrupting-chemicals/

(5) Connecticut Bill Number 1502, Connecticut General Assembly 2015,
https://www.cga.ct.gov/2015/TOB/s/pdf/2015SB-01502-R00-SB.pdf

(6) New York State’s Safe Playing Fields and Playgrounds Act, 2009-10; http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/41822.html

(7) “Organic Lawn Care,” State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, https://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?Q=382644