HF 2440

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to health; requiring the commissioner of
health to study the health impacts of pesticides on
migrant agricultural workers; appropriating money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin MIGRANT AGRICULTURAL WORKERS HEALTH STUDY.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Research study. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of
health shall establish and maintain a long-range study, for at
least ten years, that meets the following objectives:
new text end

new text begin (1) to identify which pesticides, herbicides, and other
agricultural chemicals migrant agricultural workers are exposed
to in the state;
new text end

new text begin (2) to identify the immediate and long-term health impacts
of exposure to atrazine, tri-chlorozine, and other pesticides,
herbicides, and agricultural chemicals on migrant agricultural
workers;
new text end

new text begin (3) to identify the impacts of repeated exposure to
atrazine, tri-chlorozine, and other pesticides, herbicides, and
agricultural chemicals on migrant agricultural workers;
new text end

new text begin (4) to determine the costs of the health impacts identified
under clause (2) on the health care system in the state; and
new text end

new text begin (5) to identify steps to reduce the immediate and long-term
health impacts of exposure to atrazine, tri-chlorozine, and
other pesticides, herbicides, and agricultural chemicals on
migrant agricultural workers.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Data. new text end

new text begin The study shall use data collected by
rural health clinics, county public health offices, and other
locations that have volunteered to collect the data. All data
must be collected from migrant workers who have volunteered to
participate in the study. The data collected may include:
blood samples to identify toxin levels; health histories; areas
of the state worked; known pesticides, herbicides, and
agricultural chemicals exposed to; and other information. The
data should be collected annually/seasonally in order to track
impacts over time.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Duties of the commissioner of health. new text end

new text begin (a) The
commissioner of health, in order to meet the objectives in
subdivision 1, shall work in consultation with state councils
representing populations of color, including recipients of
migrant health grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 145A.14,
subdivision 1, and migrant and seasonal farm worker
organizations in order to ensure that the study is conducted in
a culturally sensitive manner.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of health shall prepare a report every
two years that: documents the progress of the study; reports
study findings; makes recommendations on legislative or other
policy changes; and reports efforts made to obtain funding for
the study. The report must be submitted to the chairs of the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human
services, with the first report submitted by January 15, 2008,
and succeeding reports submitted by January 15 every two years
until the end of the study. The commissioner of health shall
also make a copy of the report available on the Department of
Health's Web site.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of health for fiscal year 2006. $....... is
appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of health
for fiscal year 2007. $....... of the fiscal year 2007
appropriation shall be used as base funding for fiscal year
2008. The remaining funding for the program in years following
fiscal year 2008 shall be obtained from the federal government,
nonprofits, and other sources, but shall not include the state,
or any organization or entity that directly or indirectly
profits from the sale of pesticides, herbicides, or other
agricultural chemicals.
new text end