BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
2 (Wiggins)
Hearing Date: 5/4/2009 Amended: 3/19/2009
Consultant: Bob Franzoia Policy Vote: Ag 5-0
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BILL SUMMARY: SB 2 would do the following:
- Extend from 2011 to 2016, the Pierce's Disease Control Program
within the Department of Food and Agriculture.
- Delete the requirement that General Funds designated for
research can only be expended when nonstate revenue sources
provide a 25 percent match.
- Expand the research program to include designated new pests
and diseases affecting grapes grown in California.
- Authorize the Pierce's Disease and Glassy-winged Sharpshooter
Board to make recommendations to the Department of Food and
Agriculture that a pest or disease be designated as a new pest
or disease and that money should be expended on research and
outreach.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Fund
Sunset extension $2,050 $4,100 $4,100 General/
$1,700 $2,400 $2,400 Special*
Expansion of research Unknown, potentially major cost
pressureGeneral/
program Special*
* Pierce's Disease Management Account (6064-3010) - in 2008, the
program received $22,500 in federal funds
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STAFF COMMENTS: This bill meets the criteria for referral to the
Suspense File.
The current Pierce's Disease research program is funded by a
combination of General Funds, special funds (industry
assessment) and federal funds. Both General Fund and special
support has decreased since the program was established by
Chapter 103/2001 (AB 1394, Wiggins). Federal funding greatly
exceeds state and industry support for the program. A reduction
in state or industry funding for the program may result in
reduced federal support. Preliminary information suggests
research generated by the program is successful though the
benefits of that research are several years out.
Staff notes that to the extent the program potentially increases
the amount of General Funds that may be expended on research
before nonstate sources are committed or for research on new
designated pests and diseases affecting grapes grown in the
state, there could be increased General Fund costs and
pressures. In order to limit these costs and pressures, staff
recommends the bill be amended, as follows:
Amendment 1
Page 2
SB 2 (Wiggins)
On page 3, lines 10 to 19:
(2) The account shall consist of money transferred from the
General Fund and money made available from federal, industry,
and other sources. Money made available from federal, industry,
and other sources shall be available for expenditure without
regard to fiscal year for the purpose of combating Pierce's
disease or its vectors and for the purpose described in Section
6047.30. State general funds to be utilized for research shall
only be expended when the secretary has received commitments
from nonstate sources for at least a 25 percent match for each
state dollar to be expended.
(This amendment would restore the last sentence of the above
paragraph which the March 19, 2009 version of the bill would
strike.)
Amendment 2
On page 9, revise line 27 to read:
that no General Fund money should be expended after March 1,
2011 on new research and outreach programs