Property owners could opt out of district pest control

Individual property owners could request an exemption from all district pest control activities by sending written notice to county commissioners. The exemption would cover property owned by an individual within a pest control district. The notice would need to include the property's physical address. Owners could submit evidence to the district and sue it if a government agent knowingly allowed pest control activities on, over, or above exempt property. If a court found a violation, the district would pay the owner $1,000 per violation. The court would award reasonable lawyer fees and court costs to the winning party. The exemption would last until the owner withdrew it in writing. These provisions would take effect on and after passage and approval.

Districts could use aircraft to apply chemicals that kill adult pests only when county commissioners declared a health emergency. These rules would cover treatments within pest control districts using planes, drones, or similar equipment. Aircraft treatments for adult pests would need to avoid exempt property to the best of the applicator's ability. The emergency requirement would not apply to aircraft treatments using chemicals that kill pest larvae, an immature stage, on property that had not been excluded. These rules would take effect on and after passage and approval.

Pest control districts would publish information about planned work and how owners could opt out. The information would describe planned activities, locations, and methods. It would list all products authorized for the season and explain how to opt out. Notice would appear on district and county websites if those websites existed. A notice in a newspaper serving the district would direct readers to a website or a specific place for more information. The advance notice requirement would not apply when an emergency was declared. These notice rules would take effect on and after passage and approval.

Districts would have express authority to enter public land to control pest breeding sites. The breeding-site authority would cover mosquitoes and other pests important to public health within the district or close enough for pests to migrate into it. Districts could use chemicals or lasting control measures to address breeding sites. The listed property powers would allow districts to buy, hold, sell, or receive property as a gift. These provisions would take effect on and after passage and approval.