Action Alert: Send an email today to help get an important pesticide law passed
Neonics poison the insects that bluebirds and other species feed their babies. Photo by LT Hubbard.
March 25, 2025—An important bird protection bill is on the brink of moving forward in Hartford. But it needs your help. A simple email will do it.
The bill number is HB 6916. It’s called An Act Concerning the Use of Neonicotinoids — insecticides also known as neonics.
Please use this form to email your State Senator and State House member. Ask them to speak to the co-chairs of the Environment Committee, Senator Rick Lopes and Rep. John-Michael Parker, and to urge the co-chairs to let the committee vote on the bill.
You can use the letter we’ve provided, although it will be even more effective if you use your own words.
A strong neonics law was the key recommendation of Connecticut Audubon’s 2024 State of the Birds report, “The Next Conservation Frontier: Protecting Birds from Insecticides.”
Insecticides such as neonics are one of the key causes of the 30 percent bird population decline in America since 1970.
They kill birds directly and they kill the insects that birds rely on to feed themselves and their babies. This includes robins, bluebirds, barn swallows and red-winged blackbirds — birds that are still common but might not be for long if insecticide use continues.
The new bill would limit the use of neonics on golf courses, lawns, playing fields, outdoor ornamental plants, and state or municipal properties starting in 2028. In 2029, the use of neonic-coated seeds would be restricted on corn, wheat, and soybean crops.
Importantly, the proposal allows for exemptions for emergencies.
The bill is similar to laws passed in recent years by New York and Vermont. Connecticut shouldn’t be lagging behind other northeastern states on this issue.
Please, use this simple form to email your State Senator and State House member today. Thank you!
