BILL ANALYSIS Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair 1912 (Evans) Hearing Date: 6/28/2010 Amended: 6/10/2010 Consultant: Bob Franzoia Policy Vote: Food and Ag 4-1 _________________________________________________________________ ____ BILL SUMMARY: AB 1912 would create the California Apiary Research Commission and would specify the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the commission. The commission would be allowed to conduct research and education programs relating to honeybees and the beekeeping industry. The bill would authorize the commission to levy an assessment on bee producers and would authorize the expenditure of those funds for purposes of implementing and administering the bill's provisions, thereby making an appropriation. The provisions of the bill, except as necessary to conduct an election, would not become operative until the producers vote in favor of those provisions. _________________________________________________________________ ____ Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Fund New research commission - administration Up to $40 $20 to $30 ongoing Special* - revenues Up to ($500 to $2,000**) annually; likelySpecial* the lower amount initially * Industry assessment deposited in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund ** Based on $1.00 per colony and two million colonies operating in the state annually _________________________________________________________________ ____ STAFF COMMENTS: The commission shall reimburse the Department of Food and Agriculture for all expenditures incurred by the department in carrying out required duties and responsibilities. This bill defines producer to mean an individual beekeeper or business who owns or operates, or owns and operates, more than 50 colonies in California, with the intent to earn income. Beginning January 1 of each year, or as soon thereafter as possible, the commission shall establish the assessment to be paid by the producers of 50 or more colonies for the marketing season. The assessment shall be levied annually on all bee colonies on March 1 of each year and not be more than more than $1.00 per colony. The commission will likely set the assessment at a rate reflecting annual research funding needs. However, this bill permits this fee to be increased if approved pursuant to the voting procedures and approval thresholds specified in the bill. In essence, this bill authorizes an entity other than the Legislature to revise a statutory threshold. Staff Page 2 AB 1912 (Evans) recommends deleting this provision (Food and Agriculture Code 79681 (d) as added by the bill), thus requiring any change in the fee assessment to be approved by statute. Staff notes AB 2695 (Hernandez) which would establish the California Nursery Producers Commission also authorizes an entity other than the Legislature to revise a statutory threshold. AB 2695 (Hernandez) is on today's file.