BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 958
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Date of Hearing: May 13, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
958 (Committee on Agriculture) - As Amended May 4, 2015
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|Policy |Agriculture |Vote:|9 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires the Secretary of the Department of Food and
Agriculture (DFA) to conduct a referendum on whether to increase
the participation and representation of salmon handlers on the
California Salmon Council, with prescribed membership, powers,
duties, and responsibilities, in exchange for payment of a fee
per pound of salmon handled. If approved, the salmon handlers
would hold equal representation on the Council with commercial
salmon fishers and pay the same fees. The bill specifies terms,
procedures, timing, and conditions of the referendum.
AB 958
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FISCAL EFFECT:
Minor and absorbable costs to DFA to conduct the referendum,
estimated one-time fee income of $2,000 from the California
Salmon Council for referendum services.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the authors, California's salmon
handlers desire to play a greater role on the California
Salmon Council and increase its budget. The council has nine
voting members, consisting of five commercial salmon
fishermen, two handlers who are receivers or processors, one
handler who is an exporter or wholesaler, and one public
member. Supporters believe that while handlers have
benefitted from the promotion and research of the council,
they now wish to join with equal membership to the fishermen
and increase salmon promotion and education.
AB 958 does not require handlers to increase council
membership and pay the assessments, it simply authorizes DFA
to schedule an industry referendum. Salmon handlers will then
have an opportunity to vote for equal membership on the
council in exchange for paying the full assessments. The bill
does not include a time table for the referendum.
2)Great Sushi Comes From Happy Salmon, and Happy Salmon Come
From California. Formed in 1989 to promote the marketing of
California salmon and salmon products, the California Salmon
Council may, at the direction of DFA, conduct programs of
education, research, or public information to improve
California salmon. California has over 20 such boards and
commissions under the direction of DFA, the best known of
which are the California Milk Advisory Board, which markets
AB 958
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Real California Milk and Real California Cheese through a
series of popular ads, and the California Raisin Marketing
Board, creator of the famous California Raisins claymation R&B
campaign.
Analysis Prepared by:Joel Tashjian / APPR. / (916)
319-2081