03/19/2024

MSPCA Advocating for Your Business in the 2024 General Assembly

MSPCA, in collaboration with Maryland Association of Green Industries (MAGI), has been actively engaging in tracking and responding to 2 house bills in the 2024 Maryland General Assembly.

HB 1190 – Sponsored by Del. Ruth, would prohibit the sale and use of pesticides with 86 active ingredients considered to be PFAS chemicals.  The 66 active ingredients that fall under the jurisdiction of this bill, are in hundreds of registered pesticide products in Maryland.  The bill, if enacted would prohibit, beginning June 1, 2025, a person from selling a pesticide that has PFAS chemicals listed as an active ingredient on the labeling accompanying the pesticide; and prohibit, beginning December 31, 2025, a person from using a pesticide that has PFAS chemicals listed as an active ingredient on the labeling. Look at this list of affected registered pesticide products.

On March 13, 2024, a team of partners in opposition to this bill testified before the House Health and Government Relations Committee. Charles Barton, ACE, Field Operations Manager with American Pest, represented MSPCA on this opposition team. The NPMA Public Policy Team worked to create talking points that were used as the basis for his testimony. View the testimony of this team at  https://www.youtube.com/live/sOi12Am3rkQ?si=XRSrU54Dq8r59WhI.  Coverage of the HB 1190 opposition testimony begins at 57:30, with Mr. Barton’s testimony beginning at about 1:03:00.

This bill has not yet been taken up by the subcommittee and likely will not be this session. We continue following up with legislators on the subcommittee to stay on top of its movement.

HB1515 – Sponsored by Delegate Moon.  This service tax bill would decrease the sales tax to 5% while levying a service tax of 5% on virtually all services in Maryland. This would include the services we provide to our customers – pest control, lawncare, wildlife control - and the services we use to run our own businesses. MAGI sent a letter in opposition to the bill to the House Ways & Means Committee members. In addition, MSPCA in cooperation with NPMA, issued a legislative action alert last week, asking members and other pest control companies in Maryland to voice their opposition to this service tax by sending emails to the members of the committee. MSPCA thanks each of the 29 people who answered our call to action by sending those emails!

This bill has not been acted upon by the Ways & Means Revenue subcommittee. In addition, the Governor and President of the Senate have spoken against this bill, so it is doubtful that it will move forward. As a safety, MAGI was able to get Delegate Wells to agree to enter an amendment, that would carve out Pest Control and Lawncare from the services in this bill.