BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 822
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 3, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
SB 822
(Roth) - As Amended May 31, 2016
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|Policy |Agriculture |Vote:|9 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill increases the maximum monthly citrus assessment fee to
be deposited into the Citrus Disease Management Account from
$0.09 to $0.12 cents per 40 pound carton of citrus fruit
FISCAL EFFECT:
Estimated revenue increase of up to approximately $5 million
annually from increased assessments fees (Special Fund).
SB 822
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COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, SB 822 will provide
necessary funding to continue to combat the spread of a
harmful disease and help protect California's citrus industry.
2)HLB and ACP. Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening
disease, is a bacterial plant disease that, while not harmful
to humans or animals, is fatal for citrus trees. The disease
destroys citrus trees' production, appearance and economic
value. Diseased trees produce hard, bitter, misshapen fruit,
and the trees typically die within 3-5 years of being
infected. HLB is considered to be one of the most serious
plant diseases in the world and currently there is no cure.
Infected plants must be removed and destroyed in order to
prevent further spread of HLB.
HLB is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny, invasive
insect that feeds on the leaves and stems of citrus trees and
causes shoot deformation and plant stunting. When an ACP feeds
on an HLB-infected tree, it can pick up the bacteria that
cause the disease. Once infected, ACP carries the
disease-causing bacteria for life and can transfer the disease
when feeding on other citrus trees.
In 2008, ACP was first identified in Southern California and
has since spread rapidly such that quarantine boundaries now
comprise one-third of the State. In March 2012, HLB was
detected in a multi-grafted citrus tree in a residential
portion of Los Angeles County. The tree was destroyed;
however, the disease was detected again in 2015 in 22 trees
located in the surrounding areas. The new finds and the rapid
migration of the disease-carrying insect have increased CDFA's
surveillance, trapping, and analytical workloads.
SB 822
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3)Current industry assessments. An assessment is levied on
citrus producers and deposited into the Citrus Disease
Management Account for the sole purpose of combating
citrus-specific pests and diseases. This account may also
contain funds from federal and other non-General Fund (GF)
sources. The current assessment rate is $0.09 per 40 pound
carton, which amounts to $15 million annually and represents
more than half of the total budget for this program.
Analysis Prepared by:Luke Reidenbach / APPR. / (916)
319-2081