DECLARATION OF PURPOSE.

The legislature finds that the health and safety of persons living and working in agricultural areas in the state may be improved by providing access to information regarding certain hazardous chemicals to which they may be exposed either during their normal employment activities, during emergency situations, or as a result of proximity to the use of those chemicals. The legislature also finds that, because of the conditions of agricultural employment, there is a unique situation regarding certain agricultural laborers that makes it necessary to establish formal procedures to provide access to information regarding certain hazardous chemicals and to assure those laborers that there will be no retaliation by the employer for the exercise of rights under this chapter. This chapter is intended to assure that accessibility to information regarding chemicals covered by this chapter be provided to agricultural laborers who may be exposed to those chemicals in agricultural workplaces, to certain emergency service organizations responsible for dealing with chemical hazards during emergency situations when those chemicals are in close proximity to residential areas, and to the department to make the information available to the general public through specific procedures.