2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 35 - Agricultural
Pest and Weed Control
Article 10 - Pesticide Applicators' Act
§ 35-10-118. Powers and duties of the commissioner

(1) The commissioner is authorized to administer and enforce the provisions of this article and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

(2) The commissioner is authorized to adopt all reasonable rules for the administration and enforcement of this article, including, but not limited to:

(a) The regulation of all aspects of pesticide application, including, but not limited to, the storage, use, application, and disposal of any pesticide or device that requires licensure for use by any person subject to this article;

(b) The establishment of qualifications for any applicant and standards of practice for any of the licenses authorized under this article, including the establishment of classifications and subclassifications for any license authorized under this article;

(c) The issuance and reinstatement of any license authorized under this article and the grounds for any disciplinary actions authorized under this article, including letters of admonition, other discipline through stipulation, or the restriction, probation, denial, suspension, or revocation of any license authorized under this article;

(d) The content of the examination required for the administration of this article and the amount of any examination and examination grading fee.

(3) The commissioner shall, for examinations required for any license under this article:

(a) Develop each such examination, or adopt a commercially standardized examination, required for the administration of this article and the amount of any examination and examination grading fee;

(b) Establish a passing score for each examination that reflects a minimum level of competency in the class or subclass for which the applicant is being tested;

(c) Administer each such examination or contract with a person, corporation, or other entity to administer each such examination.

(4) The commissioner shall establish standards and procedures to issue a license to any person who possesses a valid license from another jurisdiction, where the qualifications for that license are substantially similar to those adopted for a comparable license authorized under this article.

(5) The commissioner shall establish any competency requirements and standards for any individuals licensed under section 35-10-115.

(6) The commissioner is authorized to conduct hearings required under sections 35-10-119 and 35-10-120 pursuant to article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., and to use administrative law judges to conduct such hearings when their use would result in a net saving of costs to the department.

(7) The commissioner is authorized to determine the amount of any licensing fee authorized under this article based on the actual cost of administering and enforcing the article and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

(8) The commissioner is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with any agency or political subdivision of this state or any other state, or with any agency of the United States government, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this article, receiving grants-in-aid, securing uniformity of rules, and entering into reciprocal licensing agreements.

(8.5) (a) The department may provide the following only to the extent of funding received pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subsection (8.5):

(I) Education programs for urban residents regarding the proper use of pesticides and regarding the dangers of misuse or overuse of pesticides; and

(II) Education programs for firefighters regarding precautions and procedures that are necessary when fighting fires that involve or are in the vicinity of pesticides or fertilizers.

(b) The commissioner may accept gifts, grants, and donations of any kind from any private or public source for the purposes of this subsection (8.5). The commissioner shall transmit all such gifts, grants, or donations to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the plant health, pest control, and environmental protection cash fund created in section 35-1-106.3.

(9) The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to comply with the "Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act", as amended; except that such rules and regulations shall not contravene any provision of this article, article 9 of this title, or any other provision of state law.

(9.5) The commissioner shall designate by rule which devices, when operated for hire, require the operator to be licensed as a commercial applicator. Licensure shall be required only for the use of those devices that, as determined by the commissioner, may constitute a significant risk to public health or safety.

(10) The powers and duties vested in the commissioner by this article may be delegated to qualified employees of the department.