BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
1912 (Evans)
Hearing Date: 6/28/2010 Amended: 6/10/2010
Consultant: Bob Franzoia Policy Vote: Food and Ag 4-1
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BILL SUMMARY: AB 1912 would create the California Apiary
Research Commission and would specify the powers, duties, and
responsibilities of the commission. The commission would be
allowed to conduct research and education programs relating to
honeybees and the beekeeping industry. The bill would authorize
the commission to levy an assessment on bee producers and would
authorize the expenditure of those funds for purposes of
implementing and administering the bill's provisions, thereby
making an appropriation. The provisions of the bill, except as
necessary to conduct an election, would not become operative
until the producers vote in favor of those provisions.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Fund
New research commission
- administration Up to $40 $20 to $30 ongoing Special*
- revenues Up to ($500 to $2,000**) annually;
likelySpecial* the lower amount initially
* Industry assessment deposited in the Department of Food and
Agriculture Fund
** Based on $1.00 per colony and two million colonies operating
in the state annually
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STAFF COMMENTS:
The commission shall reimburse the Department of Food and
Agriculture for all expenditures incurred by the department in
carrying out required duties and responsibilities.
This bill defines producer to mean an individual beekeeper or
business who owns or operates, or owns and operates, more than
50 colonies in California, with the intent to earn income.
Beginning January 1 of each year, or as soon thereafter as
possible, the commission shall establish the assessment to be
paid by the producers of 50 or more colonies for the marketing
season. The assessment shall be levied annually on all bee
colonies on March 1 of each year and not be more than more than
$1.00 per colony. The commission will likely set the assessment
at a rate reflecting annual research funding needs. However,
this bill permits this fee to be increased if approved pursuant
to the voting procedures and approval thresholds specified in
the bill. In essence, this bill authorizes an entity other than
the Legislature to revise a statutory threshold. Staff
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AB 1912 (Evans)
recommends deleting this provision (Food and Agriculture Code
79681 (d) as added by the bill), thus requiring any change in
the fee assessment to be approved by statute.
Staff notes AB 2695 (Hernandez) which would establish the
California Nursery Producers Commission also authorizes an
entity other than the Legislature to revise a statutory
threshold. AB 2695 (Hernandez) is on today's file.