S 2660

2026 -- S 2660
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LC005304
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  STATE  OF       RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  AN ACT
  RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- TICK CONTROL
  Introduced By: Senators DiMario, Euer, Gu, Lauria, Valverde, Mack, Murray, and
  Kallman
  Date Introduced: February 27, 2026
  Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby
2 amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
3CHAPTER 7.2
4TICK CONTROL
523-7.2-1. Definitions.
6As used in this chapter:
7(1) “Department” means the department of environmental management.
8(2) “Director” means the director of the department of environmental management.
9(3) “Public lands” includes federal, state, municipal, or other government-owned lands.
1023-7.2-2. Tick control.
11(a) To further the state’s interest in tick control for the prevention or reduction of tick-borne
12 diseases, the department shall take all necessary and appropriate actions as follows:
13(1) Enter upon public lands for the purposes of determining the nature and extent of tick-
14 infested areas and the presence of tick-host animals or tick-inhabited vegetation, taking control
15 actions as warranted, and providing relevant educational programs.
16(i) Control actions on public lands may include:
17(A) Selective acaricide use;
18(B) Use of biological controls, management of tick-host animal populations or tick-
19 inhabited vegetation, or other appropriate methods; and
1(C) Coordinate all tick-related survey or control work on public lands with the appropriate
2 public lands owner or manager.
3(2) When performing control actions on public lands, the department shall:
4(i) Perform all control actions in an environmentally responsible manner and, to the extent
5 practicable, avoid adversely affecting flora and fauna;
6(ii) Perform all control actions only after any required federal or state permits have been
7 obtained; and
8(iii) Educate public lands owners or managers about:
9(A) Tick-prone habitats on their lands; and
10(B) Tick control or habitat management practices that may assist in reducing tick
11 populations on public lands.
12(b) On written approval by private property owner(s) or their authorized representatives,
13 the department may enter upon private property for any of the following purposes:
14(i) Undertaking department-conducted, tick-related scientific research or tick surveys;
15(ii) Identifying tick-prone habitats; and
16(iii) Advising private property owners as to proper tick control or habitat management
17 measures that may reduce tick populations on their lands.
18(c) The department shall develop and implement a statewide integrated pest management
19 strategy for tick control on public lands.
20(d) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement and effectuate a
21 strategy for tick control on public lands.
22SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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  EXPLANATION
  BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
  OF
  AN ACT
  RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- TICK CONTROL
  ***
1This act would create a tick control program to be implemented by the department of
2 environmental management.
3This act would take effect upon passage.
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    LC005304
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