BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 571
Author: Gatto (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 27
SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE : 3-0, 6/18/13
AYES: Galgiani, Lieu, Wolk
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cannella, Berryhill
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-0, 8/30/13
AYES: De León, Walters, Gaines, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 5/28/13 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Agricultural pest control: citrus disease
prevention
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill appropriates $5 million from the General
Fund to the Citrus Disease Management Account within the
California Department of Food and Agriculture Fund for the
purpose of combating citrus disease or its vectors.
ANALYSIS : Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is an invasive pest that
feeds on citrus plants' leaves and stems and causes shoot
deformation and plant stunting. ACP may transmit Huanglongbing
(HLB), a bacterial plant disease that causes the plant to
produce unpalatable/inedible fruit before deteriorating the
plant's health so severely that it dies. According to the
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California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), HLB is the
most devastating disease of citrus in the world, affecting
citrus in Asia, Africa, Brazil, Central America and the U.S.
There is no cure for the disease, and infected plants must be
removed and destroyed in order to prevent further spread of HLB.
In 2008, the pest ACP was first identified in California and has
spread to several southern California counties. In March 2012,
HLB was detected in a residential, multi-grafted citrus tree in
Los Angeles County. The tree was destroyed, and the disease has
not been detected in California since.
According to the University of California, Agriculture and
Natural Resources (UCANR), the citrus industry, the University
of California, and both the state and federal governments are
working to eliminate and prevent the establishment of ACP and
HLB in California. Much of the research is conducted with
funding from the citrus industry through the Citrus Research
Board, UCANR, CDFA Specialty Crops Block Grants, and the United
States Department of Agriculture - National Institute of Food
and Agriculture.
This bill appropriates $5 million from the General Fund to the
Citrus Disease Management Account within the Department of Food
and Agriculture Fund for the purpose of combating citrus disease
or its vectors.
Prior Legislation
AB 604 (De Leon and Fuller, Chapter 17, Statutes of 2010)
authorizes CDFA to spend any monies it had collected in the
Citrus Disease Management Account on citrus specific pest and
disease programs through June 30, 2010.
AB 281 (De Leon, Chapter 426, Statutes of 2009), establishes the
California Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee and the
Citrus Disease Management Account (Account) within CDFA to
prevent and manage citrus pests and diseases. Requires the
Account to consist of money from industry assessment fees but
may also include federal and other non-General Fund sources.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
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According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Makes a $5 million appropriation on a one-time basis. This
appropriation would be available over multiple fiscal years.
Declares that there is an ongoing need for at least $5 million
for its specified purposes. Results in a $5 million annual
cost pressure. Does not specify a funding source.
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/30/13)
California Citrus Mutual
California Farm Bureau Federation
Paramount Citrus
Western Growers Association
OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/30/13)
Department of Finance
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, "The
devastating effects of the Asian citrus psyllid and HLB have
already been seen in Florida, providing a glimpse into the
future of California citrus if early action is not taken.
Unfortunately, when it was detected in Florida in 1998, the pest
had spread to such an extent that it made containment
difficult." Furthermore, "This measure will help protect a
major industry in California. It will ensure that the
agricultural sector, a vital component of our state's economy,
does not fall victim to these imported maladies."
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The Department of Finance is opposed
to this bill because "the Program is already adequately funded
with federal and special funds, and it is inconsistent with the
current budget. The Program currently performs the research and
preventative activities addressed in this bill." Furthermore,
"The Program receives approximately $16 million annually from
(industry) assessment fees and $10 million in federal funds, the
majority of which is used to combat the ACP and survey for HLB."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 5/28/13
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,
Blumenfield, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown,
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Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Conway, Cooley,
Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier,
Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gorell,
Gray, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández, Jones,
Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal, Maienschein,
Mansoor, Medina, Melendez, Mitchell, Morrell, Mullin,
Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea,
V. Manuel
Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting,
Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada,
John A. Pérez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Chesbro, Holden, Vacancy
JL:nl 8/30/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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