California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2730

Introduced by Committee on Agriculture (Assembly Members Eggman (Chair), Olsen (Vice Chair), Atkins, Dahle, Pan, Quirk, and Yamada)

February 24, 2014

An act to add Article 7 (commencing with Section 9190) to Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to animals.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2730, as introduced, Committee on Agriculture. Animal disease planning.

Existing law provides for the regulation of pest control and diseased animals. Existing law requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to develop and maintain a list of invasive pests, as defined, that have a reasonable likelihood of entering the state and for which a detection, exclusion, eradication, control, or management action by the state might be appropriate. Existing law requires the department, based on available funding, to develop and maintain a written plan on the most appropriate options for detection, exclusion, eradication, control, or management of high-priority invasive pests on the list. Existing law requires the department to consult with certain state and federal agencies and departments and others in the scientific and research community in the preparation of the plan.

This bill would require the department to develop and maintain a similar list of animal diseases by July 1, 2015, and, to the extent funding is available, require the department to develop and maintain a similar written plan on the most appropriate options for detection, exclusion, eradication, control, or management of high-priority animal diseases on the list.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Article 7 (commencing with Section 9190) is
added to Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Food and
Agricultural Code, to read:

 

Article 7.  Animal Disease Planning

 

9190.  

The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(a) Global travel, global trade, and climate change introduce
invasive animals, plants, insects, and plant and animal diseases to
California.

(b) Humans are susceptible to the transfer of animal diseases
because 85 percent of all human diseases are zoonotic, meaning
the disease is communicable from animals to humans.

9191.  

On or before July 1, 2015, the department shall develop
and maintain a list of animal diseases that have a reasonable
likelihood of entering California for which a detection, exclusion,
eradication, control, or management action by the state might be
appropriate.

9192.  

The department, to the extend funding is available, shall
develop and maintain a written plan on the most appropriate options
for detection, exclusion, eradication, control, or management of
the higher priority animal diseases on the list prepared pursuant
to Section 9191. In determining which animal diseases are the
higher priority and in developing the most appropriate options for
detection, exclusion, eradication, control, or management, the
department shall consult with the United States Department of
Agriculture, the University of California, other state agencies and
departments, and others in the scientific and research community.

9193.  

In implementing this article, the department may
undertake or contract for scientific research with the University
of California or other institutions of higher learning.