BILL NUMBER: AB 856	CHAPTERED  09/27/08

	CHAPTER  425
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 27, 2008
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 27, 2008
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 22, 2008
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 28, 2008
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 19, 2008
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 17, 2007

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Galgiani

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2007

   An act to amend Section 52324 of the Food and Agricultural Code,
relating to agriculture.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 856, Galgiani. Agriculture.
   Existing law provides that the Department of Food and Agriculture
may pay counties an annual subvention for costs incurred in the
enforcement of provisions of law relating to seed identification and
quality. Existing law provides, pursuant to those provisions, that
counties with no registered seed labelers shall annually receive $100
and that counties with registered seed labeler operations shall
receive no less than $100. Existing law makes that provision
inoperative on July 1, 2009, and repeals it on January 1, 2010.
   This bill would provide that counties with no registered seed
labelers may receive the apportioned $100 subvention of funds at the
discretion of the secretary and at the recommendation of the Seed
Advisory Board. This bill would remove language providing that in no
case shall a county with registered seed labeler operations receive
less than $100. The bill would also extend the operation of these
provisions to January 1, 2010.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 52324 of the Food and Agricultural Code is
amended to read:
   52324.  The subvention program under Section 52323 is an optional
program available to counties. The subvention to counties under
Section 52323 shall be annually apportioned as follows:
   (a) At the discretion of the secretary and upon recommendation of
the Seed Advisory Board, counties with no registered seed labelers
may annually receive one hundred dollars ($100).
   (b) Counties with registered seed labeler operations shall receive
subventions based upon units of enforcement activity generated by
the registered seed labeler operations within the county and upon the
performance of enforcement activities necessary to carry out this
chapter. The units of activity shall be determined by the secretary,
taking into consideration the number of lots and kinds of seed
labeled by each registered seed labeler operation within the county.
The rate per unit of activity shall be established by dividing the
total statewide units of activity into the annual funds available to
the counties under Section 52323 after deducting the amount required
for subventions in subdivision (a). Apportionment to individual
counties shall be based upon the county's total units of activity
performed times the established rate.
   This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2010,
and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
is enacted before January 1, 2010, deletes or extends that date.