BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                     AB 862


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          Date of Hearing:  May 13, 2015


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                                 Jimmy Gomez, Chair


          AB  
          862 (Committee on Agriculture) - As Amended April 21, 2015


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          |Policy       |Agriculture                    |Vote:|9 - 0        |
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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  NoReimbursable:  No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill makes various technical, conforming, and minor changes  
          to the Food and Agriculture Code relating to the Department of  
          Food and Agriculture (DFA). 


          FISCAL EFFECT:


          Minor and absorbable administrative costs to DFA.


          COMMENTS:








                                                                     AB 862


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          Purpose.  This bill makes the following changes:


          1)Specifies DFA may not reproduce or distribute biological  
            control organisms without determining there is no detrimental  
            impact to the "environment," as well as public health and  
            safety, as currently required.  The authors believe that while  
            natural predatory insects are valuable, it is imperative the  
            introduction of those insects does not harm native plants and  
            animals, human health and safety, or the environment.


          2)Clarifies DFA may provide for the issuance and renewal of  
            licenses, certificates of registration, or other indicia of  
            authority by any division, office, or other entity within DFA.


          3)Clarifies DFA may develop nonstate funding to augment budget  
            programs for county sealers in addition to county agricultural  
            commissioners and weights and measures.  The authors assert  
            that while the commissioner and sealer are the same in many  
            counties, there are two distinct licenses, and therefore both  
            licenses need to be identified in the statute.





          Analysis Prepared by:Joel Tashjian / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081















                                                                     AB 862


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