BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2470 Page 1 CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS AB 2470 (Salas) As Amended June 11, 2014 Majority vote ----------------------------------------------------------------- |ASSEMBLY: |73-0 |(May 8, 2014) |SENATE: |34-0 |(August 7, | | | | | | |2014) | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Original Committee Reference: AGRI. SUMMARY : Adds "corporation" to the definition of a "person"; defines "neighbor", for the purposes of this section, to mean a person living in close proximity, not to exceed three miles, to another; prohibits specified authorities, after January 1, 2015, from adopting or enforcing ordinances over plants, crops, or seeds, as specified; and, makes technical wording changes to the California Seed Law (CSL). The Senate amendments : 1)Prohibit, after January 1, 2015, a city, county, or district from adopting or enforcing an ordinance that regulates plants, crops, or seeds without the consent of the California Department of Food and Agriculture; and, 2)Make technical non-substantive changes. AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar to the version approved by the Senate. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs. COMMENTS : The intent of this bill is to clarify and update the CSL, based upon the suggestions of the seed industry trade association and the Seed Advisory Board (board), which reviewed the codes, and determined that these changes were necessary for the proper enforcement of the seed laws, and to clarify the legislative intent of the statute. Current statute permits certain exceptions to the labeling requirement of seed for sale, including the occasional sale of seed grain, by a producer to his or her neighbor, for use within the county of production. AB 2470 Page 2 The CSL was created in 1967 to ensure product accuracy for seeds and seed labeling. In 1973, the board was created and charged with enforcing standards in the seed industry, with the industry covering the costs of the program. These standards provide consumer protection by providing germination and purity requirements and labeling standards for each package. Analysis Prepared by : Jim Collin / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084 FN: 0004202