BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 1894


                                                                    Page  1


          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS


          AB  
          1894 (Committee on Agriculture)


          As Amended  May 18, 2016


          Majority vote


           -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |ASSEMBLY:  | 79-0 | (April 21,    |SENATE: | 37-0 |(August 11,      |
          |           |      |2016)          |        |      |2016)            |
          |           |      |               |        |      |                 |
          |           |      |               |        |      |                 |
           -------------------------------------------------------------------- 


          Original Committee Reference:  AGRI.


          SUMMARY:  Specifically, this bill:


          1)Makes adjustments to rules related to requirements for making  
            and packaging frozen novelties, 


          2)Authorizes the Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to  
            collect assessments for the Standardization and Citrus  
            Programs together and specify an adequate time frame for  
            remittance, 


          3)Clarifies the authority of CDFA's Dairy Marketing Branch to  
            finance environmental research projects of interest to the  
            dairy industry, 










                                                                    AB 1894


                                                                    Page  2


          4)Deletes term limits for the California Sheep Commission (CSC),  
            and 


          5)Adds a technical clean up to AB 707 (Wood) of 2015, relating  
            to Williamson Act (WA) contract cancellation and local  
            cancellation fees.


          The Senate amendments:


          1)Make technical changes requirements for making and packaging  
            frozen novelties and remove a "closed to the public"  
            requirement for making and packaging frozen novelties.


          2)Delete term limits for CSC.


          3)Make a technical clean up to AB 707 (Wood) of 2015, relating  
            to WA contact cancellation and local cancellation fees. 


          EXISTING LAW:  


          1)Prohibits the manufacturing and packaging of hard frozen dairy  
            products when the establishment is open to the public.


          2)Requires manufacturers to post an ingredient list for frozen  
            yogurt on the premises if they sell directly to the public.


          3)Requires ice cream mix, frozen dairy dessert mix, and frozen  
            dessert mix to comply with all the requirements for ice cream,  
            frozen dairy desserts, and frozen desserts, respectively.


          4)Establishes CSC, comprised of 14 members who are elected or  
            appointed in accordance with specified provisions to serve  








                                                                    AB 1894


                                                                    Page  3


            two-year terms and limits the terms of office for each member  
            to four consecutive terms.


          5)Requires the Department of Conservation (DOC) to provide a  
            preliminary valuation of WA contracted land to the county and  
            city 60 days before the effective date of the agreed upon  
            cancellation valuation if the contract includes an additional  
            cancellation fee.


          FISCAL EFFECT:  According to the Senate Appropriations  
          Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state  
          costs..  


          COMMENTS:  Frozen dairy desserts.  This bill would maintain  
          current food safety standards while incorporating new frozen  
          dessert technologies.  Additionally, CDFA states that some of  
          these requirements are burdensome, unnecessary, and inconsistent  
          with the dairy industry's business model.


          Sheep.  The California sheep industry had an $82 million  
          agricultural commodity value in 2014.  The total number of sheep  
          and lambs has remained relatively steady since 2005; however,  
          the industry has declined since CSC was first created in 1985.   
          As such, the decreasing size makes it more difficult for CSC to  
          fill vacant board seats created by current term limits.   
          Nonetheless, the industry is supportive of CSC and has asked  
          that it continue in operation until at least 2020.  This bill  
          would delete term limits for CSC members.


          Williamson Act.  AB 707 (Wood) of 2015 requires DOC to provide a  
          preliminary valuation of WA contracted land to the county and  
          city 60 days before the effective date of the agreed upon  
          cancellation valuation if the contract includes an additional  
          cancellation fee.  This bill would clarify that this would occur  
          only if DOC and the landowner first agree upon a cancellation  
          value.









                                                                    AB 1894


                                                                    Page  4



          The Senate amendments make technical, clarifying and  
          noncontroversial changes to the bill, all of which were proposed  
          by Assembly Agriculture Committee staff.  This bill is similar  
          to the Assembly approved version of this bill and is consistent  
          with the aims of the Assembly Agricultural Committee.


          Analysis Prepared by:                                             
                          Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084  FN:  
          0003733