BILL NUMBER: AB 977 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ma FEBRUARY 22, 2007 An act to add Section 58662 to the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to agriculture. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 977, as introduced, Ma. Agriculture. Existing law, the California Marketing Act of 1937, provides that the Secretary of Food and Agriculture may issue marketing orders that regulate producer marketing, the processing, distributing, or handling in any manner of any commodity by any and all persons, issue marketing orders that regulate the handling, processing, preparation for marketing, or marketing of any commodity that is produced in this state, and enter into marketing agreements with processors, distributors, producers, and others that are engaged in the handling of any commodity, that regulate the preparation for market and handling of that commodity, as specified. This bill would require the California Research Bureau of the California State Library to prepare a study of the voting structures of the agricultural and commodities commissions and marking order assessment processes pursuant to these provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 58662 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, to read: 58662. The California Research Bureau (CRB) of the California State Library shall prepare a study of the voting structures of the agricultural and commodities commissions and marking order assessment processes.