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House passes bill limiting certain manufacturer liability for pesticide labels; supporters say it protects supply, opponents warn of consumer risk
Summary
The House passed Senate Bill 144 to assert that pesticide labeling regulated by the EPA governs failure-to-warn claims in Georgia. Supporters said the change preserves critical crop protection tools and helps keep production local; opponents said it could shield manufacturers from responsibility and weaken consumer and public-health protections.
ATLANTA — The Georgia House on Thursday voted to pass Senate Bill 144, a measure that narrows state liability for pesticide manufacturers by stating that, for purposes of failure-to-warn claims, liability should generally rest with the federal labeling and registration decisions made by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Supporters, including leaders of the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, said the measure clarifies legal standards, keeps critical agriculture chemistries available to Georgia farmers and preserves the state’s role in supporting the food-supply chain. Opponents said the bill would hamper injured consumers’ ability to seek warnings-based claims and could reduce state- or local-level safeguards if federal action is…
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