(a) Commencing July 1, 2016, and except as provided in subdivision (b), the school designee, and any person, including, but not necessarily limited to, a schoolsite or school district employee, who, in the course of his or her work, intends to apply a pesticide at a schoolsite subject to this article, shall annually complete a training course provided by the Department of Pesticide Regulation or an agent authorized by the Department of Pesticide Regulation. The training course shall include integrated pest management and the safe use of pesticides in relation to the unique nature of schoolsites and children’s health.

(b) (1) Commencing July 1, 2016, any person hired to apply a pesticide at a schoolsite subject to this article shall complete at least a one-hour training course in integrated pest management and the safe use of pesticides in relation to the unique nature of schoolsites and children’s health before applying pesticides at a schoolsite subject to this article and during each subsequent licensing period in which the person applies a pesticide at a schoolsite subject to this article. The training course may be applied to his or her professional continuing education requirement required by the Structural Pest Control Board or the Department of Pesticide Regulation.

(2) The training course required by paragraph (1) shall be developed by the Department of Pesticide Regulation and may also be developed by a provider approved by the Structural Pest Control Board if the training course has been approved by the Department of Pesticide Regulation.

(3) The Department of Pesticide Regulation shall ensure that the training course it develops or approves pursuant to paragraph (2) meets the requirements for continuing education credit required by the Structural Pest Control Board and the Department of Pesticide Regulation.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 848, Sec. 7. (SB 1405) Effective January 1, 2015.)