Schwarzenegger Signs AB 405: Bill Protects Kids from Exposure to
Experimental Pesticides

Kids & Teachers Are NOT Lab Rats!

Sacramento, CA - Governor Schwarzenegger, who has portrayed heroes on film became a real hero to more than six million children and hundreds of thousands of teachers and school employees when he signed Assembly Bill AB 405, banning the use of experimental pesticides in California Schools.

AB 405 authored by Assemblymember Cindy Montanez and sponsored by California Safe Schools, a children's environmental health organization, is a common sense bill that prevents K-12 public schools from being used as test sites for experimental pesticides, and protects children, teachers and schoolworkers from being exposed to chemicals whose health effects are unknown.

"California Safe Schools is extremely grateful to Governor Schwarzenegger, Assemblymember Montanez, the California Legislature, and many supporters for ensuring that California's most vulnerable population will now be protected," said Robina Suwol, Executive Director of California Safe Schools, the bill's sponsor.

To their credit, Los Angeles Unified School District, second largest school district in the United States, have already committed to implementing the measures required by AB 405 and currently employ significant policies to
protect students from chemical exposures.

"The fact that threshold levels of pesticide exposure and health studies are currently based solely on an adult male of approximately 160 pounds underscore that children are counting on adults to protect them. With the signature of AB 405, we have taken a step toward fulfilling that responsibility," Suwol said.

The bill's long list of endorsers included :
California Medical Association, California State PTA, California School Boards Association, California Teachers Association, Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America, Los Angeles Unified School District, Learning & Disabilities Association of America, California Communities Against Toxics, California Environmental Rights Alliance, Sierra Club,California League of Conservation Voters, and the Environmental Health and the Environmental Justice Community.

For further information:

Robina Suwol. Executive Director
California Safe Schools
818-785-5515
http://www.calisafe.org

California Department of Pesticide Regulation
(916) 445-4000