BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair

                                           1255 (Berryhill)
          
          Hearing Date:  8/17/2009        Amended: 7/14/2009
          Consultant:  Bob Franzoia       Policy Vote: F&A 5-0
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
          BILL SUMMARY: AB 1255 would extend from January 1, 2010 to  
          January 1, 2015, the operation of provisions of the California  
          Seed Law, including a subventions program.  Because fees  
          collected pursuant to the California Seed Law are continuously  
          appropriated to the California Department of Food and  
          Agriculture (CDFA), by extending the operation of subvention  
          program, this bill would make an appropriation.
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2009-10      2010-11       2011-12     Fund
           Sunset extension       No costs; $120 in subventions to  
          countiesSpecial*       

          * Food and Agriculture Fund
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____

          STAFF COMMENTS: 
          
          The California Seed Law is designed to ensure that seeds  
          purchased by the consumer are properly identified and of the  
          quality represented on the tag or label.  The enforcement  
          program provides for third party seed inspections to monitor the  
          accuracy of label statements (truth in labeling) as to variety  
          and type, purity and germination.  County agricultural  
          commissioners enforce these provisions pursuant to cooperative  
          agreements with CDFA.

          The subventions total $120,000 annually statewide and are  
          allocated to counties in which there are registered seed  
          labelers to regulate.  On a per hour basis, the subvention  
          provides to the counties approximately $40.00 an hour of  
          reported work, which is approximately one third of the counties'  
          expenses for seed law enforcement.  The three Food and  
          Agriculture Code sections contained in this bill are the only  










          sections subject to the January 1, 2010 sunset.

          Fees are collected on labelers (Food and Agriculture Code 52354  
          and 52354.5) and all moneys received by CDFA pursuant to the  
          California Seed Law are deposited in the Food and Agriculture  
          Fund (Food and Agriculture Code 52321).