(1) All state agencies, municipal corporations, and public utilities or any other governmental agency shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter and rules adopted thereunder concerning the application of pesticides.

     (2) It shall be unlawful for any employee of a state agency, municipal corporation, public utility, or any other government agency to use or to supervise the use of any restricted use pesticide, or any pesticide by means of an apparatus, without having obtained a public operator license from the director. Application for a public operator license shall be accompanied by a fee of twenty-five dollars. The fee shall not apply to public operators licensed and working in the health vector field. The public operator license shall be valid only when the operator is acting as an employee of a government agency.

     (3) The jurisdictional health officer or his or her duly authorized representative is exempt from this licensing provision when applying pesticides that are not restricted use pesticides to control pests other than weeds.

     (4) Such agencies, municipal corporations and public utilities shall be subject to legal recourse by any person damaged by such application of any pesticide, and such action may be brought in the county where the damage or some part thereof occurred.

[1997 c 242 § 17; 1994 c 283 § 25; 1993 sp.s. c 19 § 9; 1991 c 109 § 37; 1989 c 380 § 53; 1986 c 203 § 11; 1981 c 297 § 24; 1971 ex.s. c 191 § 7; 1967 c 177 § 13; 1961 c 249 § 22.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 1997 c 242: See note following RCW 15.58.070.

     Severability -- 1986 c 203: See note following RCW 15.17.230.

     Severability -- 1981 c 297: See note following RCW 15.36.201.