Bipartisan Parkinson's disease legislation aims to ban paraquat in Minnesota – FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

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Minnesota lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are working to ban a chemical linked to Parkinson’s disease. FOX 9’s Leah Beno sat down with them to learn more.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – New legislation in Minnesota aims to prevent the spread of Parkinson’s disease by banning a chemical found in some herbicides.
Senator Jim Abeler, House Representative Brad Tabke, and Parkinson's disease patient advocate Mark Kelm joined the FOX 9 mornings news to explain more about the bill before it is discussed at a senate hearing on Monday, March 23.
Big picture view:
The proposed bills aim to ban paraquat, a chemical found in some herbicides, due to its links to Parkinson’s disease. 
Those exposed to paraquat have a doubled risk of developing the disease, and the chemical can drift up to 500 feet. 
The legislation is supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Parkinson's Foundation, Minnesota & Dakotas. 
Local perspective:
Many patients who spoke at a March 11 news conference have lived near farms and later developed Parkinson’s disease, highlighting the local impact and urgency of the proposed ban.
The backstory:
Paraquat is banned in over 70 countries, including England and China, where the manufacturing company Syngenta is based. Despite this, it remains legal in the U.S., prompting calls for Minnesota to join the global ban.
Lee Helgen from Minnesota Crop Production Retailers emphasized the importance of paraquat for farmer stating,
"We think it's an effective weed control material and that we should maintain that as a product available for sale in Minnesota."
What they’re saying:
Rep. Tabke wrote, "There’s no rational reason why we should allow this chemical to continue to put Minnesotans’ health and safety at risk."
The bill is already bipartisan in the Senate, and efforts are underway to secure similar support in the House to advance the legislation. 
What’s next:
It remains uncertain how quickly the bill will progress through the Minnesota legislature and whether it will face significant opposition.
The Source: This story uses information shared during a live interview with Minnesota lawmakers. 
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