WHB/1/2
Sponsored by Nikhil Giddaluri, Isaac George of McCallie School
This legislation was filed in the Environment and Conservation category
Presented as part of the YIG Volunteer 2024 conference
| 1 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE TENNESSEE YMCA YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Section 1: Terms used in this act, unless the context requires otherwise, shall be defined as |
| 4 | follows: |
| 5 | GMO - Genetically Modified Organisms; a plant, animal, or microorganism in which one or more |
| 6 | changes has been made to its genome |
| 7 | Herbicides - a substance that is toxic to plants |
| 8 | Organic farming - Farming that utilizes organic fertilizers while abstaining from the use of synthetic |
| 9 | fertilizers and pesticides |
| 10 | Synthetic fertilizers - Chemically manufactured materials containing one or more of the primary |
| 11 | nutrients needed for plant growth, like nitrogen; Known for being fast acting |
| 12 | Synthetic pesticides - Man-made chemicals specifically designed to kill or repel pests |
| 13 | |
| 14 | Section 2: This bill shall increase the sales tax of GMOs from 4% to 15%. This is due to potential |
| 15 | health risks like allergies, cancer and potential herbicides in one’s food. Also, the consumption of |
| 16 | GMOs is a leading factor of obesity in the United States. Therefore, encouraging people to buy |
| 17 | more organic food will indirectly lower the obesity rate in TN, in which 31.2% of adults have |
| 18 | obesity. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | Section 3: This bill will also use all of this newfound money from the increase in sales tax to |
| 21 | support organic farms. Doing this will incentivize organic farming, which leads to the elimination of |
| 22 | synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This leads to less GMOs, resulting in the reduction of the |
| 23 | obesity rate, elongating individuals’ lifespans. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | Section 4: Along with that, the use of GMOs has been found to be an essential cause of pollution. |
| 26 | Consequently, discouraging the purchase of GMOs will help promote a healthier environment for |
| 27 | society. |
| 28 | Section 5: All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed |
| 29 | |
| 30 | Section 6: This act will go into effect September 1, 2024 |
| 31 |