BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 249|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 249
Author: Yee (D)
Amended: 4/25/11
Vote: 21
SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE : 6-0, 4/5/11
AYES: Cannella, Rubio, Berryhill, Evans, Vargas, Wolk
NO VOTE RECORDED: La Malfa
SUBJECT : District agricultural associations: 1-A
District Agricultural
Association: membership
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill makes changes to the membership of
District Agricultural Association 1-A.
ANALYSIS : Existing law specifies that district
agricultural associations (DAA) are governed by a board of
directors made up of nine citizens and residents of the
DAA. If the district includes two or more counties, at
least two members on the board shall represent each county
in the DAA. All members of a DAA board of directors are
appointed by the Governor for a term of four years.
Existing law states that District Agricultural Association
1-A (Cow Palace) is in the County of San Mateo and the City
and County of San Francisco. The present board of
directors for the Cow Palace includes three residents of
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San Mateo County, and four residents of San Francisco, and
two vacancies.
This bill changes the composition of the DAA 1-A
nine-member board of directors to require:
1. Five members appointed by the Governor.
2. Two members appointed by the Governor, unless the Mayor
of San Francisco, within 30 days after the vacancy
arises, elects to exercise that authority, notifies the
Governor during that 30-day period of his/her decision,
and actually makes the appointments, in which case the
mayor is authorized to appoint those members.
3. Two members appointed by the Governor, unless the Mayor
of Daly City, within 30 days after the vacancy arises,
elects to exercise that authority, notifies the Governor
during that 30-day period of his/her decision, and
actually makes the appointments, in which case the mayor
is authorized to appoint those members.
Further, this bill specifies that the board changes in this
bill would happen as vacancies occur on the current board.
Background
Over 140 years ago, California began organizing what is
today one of the largest fair systems in the nation. The
54 district agricultural associations, state agency fairs,
are managed under the Department of Food and Agriculture in
the Division of Fairs and Expositions. Each fair operates
with a degree of autonomy with a board of directors
appointed by the Governor and in accordance with state law
governing the operation of state agencies.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 4/26/11)
Adrienne Tissier, San Mateo County Supervisor
Bayshore Sanitary District
City of Daly City
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City Council of Daly City
Police Department of Daly City
Real Options for City Kids
San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force
San Mateo County Police Chiefs' & Sheriff's Association
Visitacion Valley Business Opportunities and Outreach to
Merchants
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
the current board of directors of the Cow Palace does not
reflect the needs and wishes of the surrounding
communities. None of the current board of directors is a
resident of Daly City which incorporates much of the Cow
Palace property and surrounding neighborhoods. Recent
events held at the Cow Palace have resulted in several
drug-related deaths. Further, as the local community, Daly
City is responsible for emergency service response to
public safety and health related incidents at the Cow
Palace. This bill changes the Cow Palace board composition
to address a lack of local representation and help provide
crucial insight into the needs of the neighborhoods in Daly
City and San Francisco.
Under existing law, members of district agriculture
association boards of directors are required to be from the
region the district represents. In the case of the Cow
Palace, this would be the entire County of San Mateo and
City and County of San Francisco. This bill requires a
much more focused representation requirement for individual
cities in the district. A district agriculture
association's purpose is to represent the entire area of
the district.
MEL:mw:kc 4/26/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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