Released on = January 17, 2006, 12:53 am

Press Release Author = Robina Suwol, Executive Director of California Safe Schools

Industry = Environment

Press Release Summary = Kids & Teachers Are NOT Lab Rats!



Press Release Body =
Sacramento, CA - Governor Schwarzenegger, who has portrayed heroes on film became
a real hero to more than six million children and hundreds of
thousands of teachers and school employees when he signed Assembly Bill AB 405,
banning the use of experimental pesticides in California Schools.

AB 405 authored by Assemblymember Cindy Montanez and sponsored by California Safe
Schools, a children\'s environmental health organization, is a common sense bill
that prevents K-12 public schools from being used as
test sites for experimental pesticides, and protects children, teachers and
schoolworkers from being exposed to chemicals whose health effects are unknown.

\"California Safe Schools is extremely grateful to Governor Schwarzenegger,
Assemblymember Montanez, the California Legislature, and many supporters for
ensuring that California\'s most vulnerable population will now be
protected,\" said Robina Suwol, Executive Director of California Safe Schools, the
bill\'s sponsor.

To their credit, Los Angeles Unified School District, second largest school
district in the United States, have already committed to implementing the measures
required by AB 405 and currently employ significant policies to
protect students from chemical exposures.

\"The fact that threshold levels of pesticide exposure and health studies are
currently based solely on an adult male of approximately 160 pounds underscore
that children are counting on adults to protect them. With the
signature of AB 405, we have taken a step toward fulfilling that responsibility,\"
Suwol said.

The bill\'s long list of endorsers included :
California Medical Association, California State PTA, California School Boards
Association, California Teachers Association, Asthma & Allergy
Foundation of America, Los Angeles Unified School District, Learning & Disabilities
Association of America, California Communities Against Toxics, California
Environmental Rights Alliance, Sierra Club,California League of
Conservation Voters, and the Environmental Health and the Environmental
Justice Community.








Web Site = http://www.calisafe.org

Contact Details = For further information:

Robina Suwol. Executive Director
California Safe Schools
818-785-5515
www.calisafe.org