BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 2402
                                                                  Page  1


          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
          AB 2402 (Buchanan)
          As Amended  May 23, 2014
          Majority vote 

           AGRICULTURE         7-0         APPROPRIATIONS      16-0        
           
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          |Ayes:|Eggman, Olsen, Skinner,   |Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow,           |
          |     |Dahle, Pan, Quirk, Yamada |     |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian  |
          |     |                          |     |Calderon, Campos, Eggman, |
          |     |                          |     |Gomez, Holden, Jones,     |
          |     |                          |     |Linder, Pan, Quirk,       |
          |     |                          |     |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner,    |
          |     |                          |     |Weber                     |
          |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
          |     |                          |     |                          |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
           SUMMARY  :  Makes technical changes updating the legislative  
          findings of the Noxious Weed Management (NWM) statutes; makes  
          changes to the distribution of NWM account funds, increasing the  
          percentage allocated to research, risk assessment, and control  
          strategies; and, expands how some program funds may be used.  

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee, insignificant costs to administer the fund allocation  
          changes.

           COMMENTS  :  The NWM program began in 1999 with a $200,000 annual,  
          three year appropriation.  In 2000, another $5 million was  
          appropriated, without regard to fiscal year, to fund NWM project  
          grants.  Since its creation, $16.1 million in private funding  
          and resources have matched the $5.6 million appropriated state  
          dollars.  No additional funds have been appropriated since 2000,  
          and the grant funds having been spent several years ago, thereby  
          causing the NWM program to be idled and California Department of  
          Food and Agriculture to reduce staff levels.  

          Noxious and invasive weeds disrupt native ecosystems, crops and  
          pastures, costing not only private landowners but the public as  
          well.  With the program being idle, noxious and invasive weeds  
          have been allowed to expand without needed controls.  Farmers  
          and ranchers see weeds as a plant in competition for water with  
          their plantings and forage.  In drought years, the elimination  








                                                                  AB 2402
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          of competitors for water is an even more important issue.  The  
          NWM program has had nearly a three to one private dollars match  
          to state dollars, which is a very good return on a state  
          investment.

          This NWM program has been beneficial to our ecology and economy  
          by eliminating problem noxious and invasive weeds, and there are  
          likely some long term cost savings if the program is funded, or  
          contrarily, increased long term costs to the environment and  
          taxpayers if the program remains idle.  

          See policy committee analysis for more details and specifics.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Jim Collin / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084


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