(The Center Square) – A controversial bill over the legal liability of pesticide makers was moved to 2026 by a Tennessee House committee a week after the Senate passed it.
The bill’s sponsors said the bill only pertains to the legal liability when it pertains to the warning label required by the Environmental Protection Division.
Opponents said they were afraid the bill would discourage people with legitimate complaints from suing chemical makers.
Lawmakers in both chambers heard hours of testimony from both sides.
Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, moved a motion at a Tuesday meeting to move the bill to 2026 and possibly create a study committee.
“There’s a lot of questions that have been asked and a lot of information and I think folks would like to hear more from stakeholders,” Doggett said.
The Senate passed its version 21-7.
“The bill does not prevent anyone from suing,” said Sen. John Stevens, R-Huntingdon. “It does limit the liability in the event that there is a claim related to the label.”
Similar bills have been introduced in other states. A bill in Georgia is waiting on Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature. North Dakota, Florida and Missouri have bills moving through their legislatures.
Bayer, the maker of the weedkiller Roundup, has faced several lawsuits. Earlier this year, a Georgia jury awarded a man $2.1 billion in a lawsuit against Bayer. The man said the product caused his cancer.
