Dent's Ag Bills Pt 2
I’m Bob Larson. Washington State Representative Tom Dent has a couple of ag-related bills. The first we mentioned yesterday is House Bill 1434 that looks at improving our mental health needs and suicide prevention the agricultural industry.
Dent says the bill includes an anonymous mental health hotline …
DENT … “It’s something that I’m very, very passionate about. I think it’s necessary and with the pandemic that we’re experiencing today, we already have seen an increase in mental health issues with our young people and I believe we’re going to see an increase in our mental health issues with some of our older folks, and I’d really like to see it get moved forward and give our folks that help, the backstop that they might need in their day to day lives.”
The other bill, Dent says addresses noxious weed problems …
DENT … “So, House Bill 1355 makes some major technical changes to the noxious weed laws in the state of Washington. And, it also establishes how we can assess the Washington State Department of Transportation for their highways in agricultural lands or areas where we may have a noxious weed problem.”
This, Dent says could help control weeds along freeways that could spread into neighboring fields …
DENT … “It establishes center line miles as the assessment piece within the legislation.”
The bill, Dent says is moving along nicely …
DENT … “This legislation has received a public hearing in the Rural Development Ag and Natural Resources Committee. We will be making an amendment to the bill and it is expected to be “exected” out of committee this week.”
Dent says the bill was heard in House appropriations yesterday.
