BILL NUMBER: AB 977	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 30, 2007

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 amended, 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
  summary of the available literature on the
effectiveness of marketing orders, councils, and commissions and
submit the summary to the Legislature and would require the
Department of Food and Agriculture and respective councils and
commissions to cooperate with the bureau by providing requested
information for this report  .
   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.    The California Research Bureau of the
California State Library shall prepare a summary of the available
literature on the effectiveness of marketing orders, councils, and
commissions and submit the summary to the Legislature. By December 1,
2007, the California Research Bureau shall provide the agricultural
policy committees of the Assembly and the Senate with an estimated
schedule for completion of this summary. The Department of Food and
Agriculture and respective councils and commissions shall cooperate
with the bureau by providing requested information for this report.
 
  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.