Pesticide bill committee vote delayed after lawmakers face criticism

A final House committee vote on a controversial bill backed by pesticide company Bayer to limit certain lawsuits against pesticide companies was delayed Wednesday. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Rusty Grills (R-Newbern), would limit lawsuits if a user gets sick from a pesticide. Under the proposed legislation, as long as a product’s label was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, a person wouldn’t be allowed to sue over the labeling. Supporters argued these lawsuits hurt farmers’ bottom lines. The bill passed the Senate last year, and it was up for its final House committee vote before being delayed after criticism from some prominent social media figures. Critics of the bill call it a “liability shield” that protects big, foreign corporations from lawsuits over serious health injuries and argues that the lawmakers who support it are motivated by money. Rep. Grills took the bill off notice, which will delay the vote and it remains unclear why that decision was made or whether Grills has plans to bring the bill back this legislative session.