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ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE
Forty-ninth Legislature – Second Regular Session
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC DEBT AND
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMERCE
COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE FOR THE SUNSET REVIEW OF
THE OFFICE OF PEST MANAGEMENT
Minutes of Interim Meeting
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
House Hearing Room 4 -- 11:30 a.m. or on adj of Senate CED & House Com COR
Co-Chairman Hendrix called the meeting to order at 11:39 a.m. and attendance was noted by the secretary.
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Senator John Nelson, Co-Chair |
Representative Laurin Hendrix, Co-Chairman |
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Senator Albert Hale |
Representative Chad Campbell |
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Senator Steve Pierce |
Representative Michele Reagan |
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Senator Amanda Aguirre |
Representative Rich Crandall |
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Senator Sylvia Allen |
Representative Robert Meza |
Co-Chairman Hendrix welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Office of Pest Management
Shan Hays, Performance Audit Manager, Office of the Auditor General, explained to the Committee that legislation passed in 2008 repealed the Structural Pest Control Commission and temporarily established the Office of Pest Management (OPM) within the Department of Administration. The legislation also required a performance audit by the Auditor General, with resulting recommendations for the restructuring of the OPM and for effectively regulating the pest management industry to best protect the public (Attachment 1).
She stated that OPM’s mission is to protect public health, safety, and property through promoting the safe application of pest control. OPM operates as a 90/10 agency which gets revenues mainly from licensing fees and charges for services, ten percent of which goes to the General Fund.
Ms. Hays described reorganizing and restructuring options that were identified, and explained why the Auditor General’s recommendation is to consolidate within the Department of Agriculture. She discussed similarities of this recommendation to other states’ approaches.
Ellis Jones, Acting Director, Arizona Office of Pest Management, stated that OPM performs all the jobs expected of it and is on par with those agencies in other states (Attachment 2). He discussed the logistics of moving OPM to the Department of Agriculture and indicated that there is proposed legislation to help make this move. He stated that OPM is in good financial shape, pays all its bills and has reduced the numbers of employees and vehicles. OPM is operating efficiently and to budget. Mr. Jones addressed the logistics of making a physical move, which would be very costly.
Joe Sigg, Arizona Farm Bureau, stated that fourteen agricultural groups met this summer and reached accord regarding the Auditor General’s recommendation. He also met with members of the commercial pest control industry and found agreement there as well. He stated that there is a legislative requirement that the change occur over a two-year period and that he believes this move will be beneficial and will allow for more efficiency and cross-training as there is much commonality between OPM and the Department of Agriculture.
Kenneth Fredrick, President, Arizona Pest Professional Organization (AzPPO), stated his agreement with Mr. Sigg’s comments. He added that his organization voted to support the move of OPM to the Department of Agriculture.
Representative Reagan commented that there are two groups within the pest control industry: one supporting the move and one not supporting it. Mr. Fredrick stated that while support is not unanimous it is pretty close and that he is not aware of another group that is against the move.
Co-Chairman Hendrix announced the names of those who signed up in support of continuation but did not speak:
Nathan Tamialis, Regional Manager, AzPPO
Co-Chairman Hendrix stated that there is no vote required.
Representative Reagan commented that many legislators have worked hard to move the OPM into a better environment and that the consensus is that the Department of Agriculture is the proper place. She stated her gratitude to the Department of Agriculture for its work formulating solutions.
Senator Pierce added his support to this process.
Without objection, the meeting adjourned at 12:03 p.m.
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Jane Dooley, Committee Secretary
December 6, 2010
(Original minutes, attachments and audio on file in the Office of the Chief Clerk; video archives available at http://www.azleg.gov)
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COR - SENATE NRIPD AND HOUSE COM
November 30, 2010
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