S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4876
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 28, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. METZGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
 
 AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
   including  the Asian longhorned tick on the invasive species list; and
   the agriculture and markets law, in relation to requiring the prepara-
   tion of recommendations for best practices in treating  livestock  and
   farm  properties  for Asian longhorned tick treatment, prevention, and
   management
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.    Legislative  Findings. The legislature hereby finds and
 declares that the introduction of the Asian longhorned  tick  (Haemaphy-
 salis  longicornis)  represents  a  significant threat to New York live-
 stock. The Asian longhorned tick is the first new  invasive  species  of
 ticks  to  enter the United States in 50 years. It is currently found in
 eight states including parts of New York. As the  climate  continues  to
 warm,  their geographic reach will continue to expand across the Eastern
 seaboard. The Asian longhorned tick  can  rapidly  reproduce  asexually,
 laying  thousands  of  eggs  at a time allowing for rapid proliferation.
 They are attracted to and can transmit diseases  to  livestock  such  as
 sheep,  cattle,  and  horses.  In Asia, the species carries a virus that
 kills 15 percent of victims through  hemorrhaging,  organ  failure,  and
 blood  loss. The legislature hereby declares that due to the significant
 risks of the Asian longhorned tick to the  livestock  industry,  farmers
 need  to  be made aware of the dangers presented by the Asian longhorned
 tick.  Therefore, the legislature seeks to provide farmers with a  reli-
 able source of information to turn to when looking for answers on how to
 best protect their livestock and farm properties.
   §  2.  The  environmental  conservation law is amended by adding a new
 section 9-1711 to read as follows:
 § 9-1711. ASIAN LONGHORNED TICK.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD08422-01-9

 S. 4876                             2
 
   THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPART-
 MENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS, SHALL ADD THE ASIAN LONGHORNED TICK  TO
 THE STATE INVASIVE SPECIES LIST AND INCLUDE THE ASIAN LONGHORNED TICK IN
 THE  COMPREHENSIVE  PLAN  FOR  INVASIVE  SPECIES  MANAGEMENT PURSUANT TO
 SECTION  9-1705  OF  THIS  TITLE,  AND  WHEREVER PRACTICAL, PROHIBIT AND
 ACTIVELY ELIMINATE OR OTHERWISE CONTROL THE INVASIVE SPECIES  THE  ASIAN
 LONGHORNED  TICK  AT  PROJECT  SITES FUNDED OR REGULATED BY THE STATE IN
 COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNCIL, AID IN THE REVIEW AND REFORM OF RELEVANT
 REGULATORY PROCESSES TO REMOVE UNNECESSARY IMPEDIMENTS TO  THE  RESTORA-
 TION  OF  INVADED ECOSYSTEMS, AND INCLUDE INFORMATION ON THE ASIAN LONG-
 HORNED TICK ON STATEWIDE DATABASES AND CLEARINGHOUSES THAT  INCORPORATES
 EXISTING  DATA  FROM AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STATE, AS WELL AS
 FROM NEARBY STATES, PROVINCES, CANADA, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
   § 3. Section 16 of the agriculture  and  markets  law  is  amended  by
 adding a new subdivision 50 to read as follows:
   50.  TO  DEVELOP, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPART-
 MENT OF HEALTH, BEST-PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TREATMENT,  PREVENTION
 AND  MANAGEMENT  OF LIVESTOCK AND FARM PROPERTY AGAINST ASIAN LONGHORNED
 TICKS. SUCH RECOMMENDATIONS SHALL BE  BASED  UPON  SCIENTIFIC  DATA  AND
 SHALL  INCLUDE,  BUT  NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE USE OF LANDSCAPE TECHNIQUES
 DEMONSTRATED TO BE SAFE FOR LIVESTOCK, PEOPLE, PETS AND THE ENVIRONMENT,
 METHODS TO DISCOURAGE RODENT ACTIVITY, AND THE USE OF  EFFECTIVE  ACTIVE
 INGREDIENTS,  AS  DEFINED  IN  SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION 33-0101 OF THE
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW,  INCLUDING  USAGE  INFORMATION  AND  ANY
 LABEL  WARNINGS OR CAUTION STATEMENTS. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION
 WITH THE NEW  YORK  STATE  LAND  GRANT  UNIVERSITY,  SHALL  DEVELOP  AND
 DISTRIBUTE  TO  FARMERS  A  PAMPHLET ON ASIAN LONGHORNED TICK TREATMENT,
 MANAGEMENT, AND PREVENTION.   SUCH PAMPHLET  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS  SHALL
 ALSO BE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
   §  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect  on  the fifteenth of April next
 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective imme-
 diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
 necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective  date  are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.