BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 348
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 21, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                   SB 348 (Galgiani) - As Amended:  August 7, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                             AgricultureVote:7  
          - 0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill extends, from January 1, 2015 to July 1, 2019, the  
          operation of provisions of the California Seed Law (CSL),  
          including a subventions program.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)  
            provides $120,000 per year (special funds) to California's  
            counties to fund the enforcement of the CSL. This bill would  
            continue that subvention for four years. CDFA estimates that  
            without those annual subventions they would need approximately  
            $500,000 per year for the staffing needs associated with  
            enforcing the CSL at the state level. 

          2)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 makes an appropriation.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . This bill extends the county subventions for  
            enforcement of the CSL.  The intent of this legislation is to  
            ensure the CSL continues to be enforced in a cost effective  
            manner.  CDFA notes that failure to pass SB 348 could result  
            in an end to the statutory authorization for seed subvention.   
            If counties do not receive funds to offset seed law  
            enforcement activities, counties are unlikely to enforce  
            provisions of the California Seed Law.  As a consequence, CDFA  
            would then need to hire more staff to monitor seed related  








                                                                  SB 348
                                                                  Page  2

            activities in counties. 

           2)Background  . 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 third-party seed inspections to monitor the  
            accuracy of label statements as to variety and type, purity,  
            and germination.  These enforcement activities are carried out  
            by individual county agricultural commissioners.

           3)Related Legislation  . AB 1255 (Tom Berryhill; Chapter 281,  
            Statutes of 2009) extends to January 1, 2015, the operation of  
            provisions of the CSL, including a subvention program.

            AB 856 (Galgiani; Chapter 425, Statutes of 2008) extends to  
            January 1, 2010, the operation of provisions of the CSL,  
            including a subvention program; provides that the minimum $100  
            subvention may not be allocated to counties without registered  
            seed labelers.

            AB 315 (Salinas; Chapter 394, Statutes of 2003), requires the  
            Secretary to pay a total annual subvention to counties of  
            $120,000; extends to July 1, 2009, the operation of provisions  
            in the CSL.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081