Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Despite ongoing protest from constituents, SB0527 limiting liability for pesticide manufacturers in some cases involving consumer injury passed the full Senate 21-7 on Thursday, April 3.
The legislation provides that a manufacturer or seller would not be liable in a civil action “related to the labeling of the pesticide, including a products liability action alleging a failure to warn under title 29, chapter 28, if the pesticide bore a label approved by the EPA under FIFRA at the time of sale.”
During the Senate floor session on Thursday, Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District) introduced an amendment to the bill which, “clarifies that liability protection does not apply if the EPA determines that a pesticide manufacturer knowingly withheld, concealed, misrepresented, or destroyed material information regarding human health risks to obtain or maintain EPA approval for the pesticide label.”
Stand for Health Tennessee has provided links to court cases and other documents alleging conspiracy between the EPA and pesticide companies to keep cancer warning labels off the products, so the effectiveness of this amendment could be questionable.
Democrat Sen. Heidi Campbell spoke against the bill saying, “It’s just amazing to me that we’re considering taking away the rights of Tennesseans to defend themselves against harmful chemicals and we really are doing that, let’s be clear. Our only recourse as citizens, if this bill passes, will be if people are turning blue or dying and we can prove that this chemical is harmful, which is a pretty scary standard to put in place, or we’re just out of luck. And this applies to thousands of chemicals.”
Another Democrat, Sen. London Lamar, spoke to consumer health risks. “Consumers of products like food and other things that we digest in our body that farmers use pesticides on, we don’t get to choose what pesticide products are put on our food to grow it, so there’s already a step taken away from us. And now we’re creating another step to protect the pesticide companies knowing their products are harmful. It should be our responsibility to protect people and not corporations. I don’t care about a label, if you know your product is deadly or cancer-causing, you should be held liable, point-blank period. And the fact that we’re protecting them is egregious.”
Supporting the bill, Sen. Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville-District 7) minimized these concerns by arguing, “Risk versus benefit. If it was a clear-cut relationship and a high risk of cancer, the EPA and the FDA would have gone ahead and made an assessment that there is a risk of cancer, it needs to be placed on the bottles, or they would ban it entirely if it was dangerous. There probably is a certain risk of cancer, it probably is pretty low, or it would already have been banned in this county or there would have to be labels on the bottles, which there is not, at least at this point. The benefit is that our farmers are able to grow food, they’re able to increase the production per acre…it keeps the costs low to consumers and we’re able to export, that increases our food production. Here, I feel the potential benefit outweighs the risk.”
Senators Janice Bowling and Rusty Crowe were the only Republicans to vote against the bill, while Republicans Mark Pody and Kerry Roberts marked themselves Present Not Voting. All five Democrats present also voted “No” while 21 Republicans voted “Yes.”
The House companion, HB0809, is set to go before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, April 9. Several groups and citizens are organizing to remonstrate against the bill amongst claims of constitutional violations and evidence of credible health concerns.
One Tennessee mother, known on X as Brittania the Great, is leading a protest effort and urging people to use the House Witness Card link in her post to, “Register ASAP in opposition” to testify against the bill at the House Judiciary Committee meeting on 4/9.
To contact members of the House Judiciary Committee with your thoughts on this legislation, use the information below:
HB0809/SB0527 Shields Pesticide Manufacturers From Liability
Rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov, rep.elaine.davis@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rebecca.alexander@capitol.tn.gov, rep.fred.atchley@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gino.bulso@capitol.tn.gov, rep.clay.doggett@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov, rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov, rep.torrey.harris@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gloria.johnson@capitol.tn.gov, rep.kelly.keisling@capitol.tn.gov, rep.william.lamberth@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mary.littleton@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jason.powell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dennis.powers@capitol.tn.gov, rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gabby.salinas@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rick.scarbrough@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tom.stinnett@capitol.tn.gov, rep.chris.todd@capitol.tn.gov, rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov, rep.ron.travis@capitol.tn.gov
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Thanx, emailed them, “HB0809/SB0527 Shielding Poison Manufacturers From Liability; Looks like the criminals have very likely bought themselves the unaccountability lucifer’s pharma bought themselves.
“Farmers” using their poisons produce nothing fit for human or animal consumption.
I’m AGAINST!!”, posted to X with, “Tennesseans!
Y’all help!!
I emailed them, ” HB0809/SB0527 Shielding Poison Manufacturers From Liability; Looks like the criminals have very likely bought themselves the unaccountability lucifer’s pharma bought themselves.
“Farmers” using their poisons produce nothing fit for human or animal consumption.
I’m AGAINST!!’
Encourage y’all to do likewise!!”