California Assembly Bill AB2612 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2612INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Committee on Agriculture (Galgiani (Chair), Tom Berryhill (Vice Chair), Conway, Ma, Mendoza, and Yamada) FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to amend Sections 19204, 19220, and 19312 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to animals. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2612, as introduced, Committee on Agriculture. Slaughtered animals: pet food. Existing law requires a person engaged in the business of operating a collection center to obtain a license from the Department of Food and Agriculture for each collection center operated. "Collection center" is defined to mean a receiving area for the temporary storage of animal carcasses, packinghouse waste, or other products before transportation to a licensed rendering plant. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a crime. This bill, instead, would define "collection center" to mean a receiving area for the temporary storage of animal carcasses, packinghouse waste, or other products before transportation to a licensed rendering plant or pet food processor. Because this bill would change the definition of an existing crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires persons engaged in certain businesses, including, among others, rendering, pet food processing, and operating a collection center, to obtain a license from the department. Existing law provides that those licenses are valid for a year from the date of issuance. This bill, instead, would provide that those licenses shall expire on December 31 of each year. Existing law requires any person or entity who engages in the transportation of inedible kitchen grease, as defined, to be registered with the department. An applicant for registration as a transporter of inedible kitchen grease is required to include a registration fee of $100, except for any renderer who registers. This bill would also exempt a collection center that registers from this registration fee. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 19204 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read: 19204. "Collection center" means a receiving area for the temporary storage of animal carcasses, packinghouse waste  ,  or other products before transportation to a licensed rendering plant  or pet food processor  . SEC. 2. Section 19220 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read: 19220. A license  granted under this chapter  shall  be valid for a year from the date of issuance   expire on December 31 of each year  . SEC. 3. Section 19312 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read: 19312. (a) Registration shall be made with the department and shall include all of the following: (1) The applicant's name and address. (2) A description of the operations to be performed by the applicant. (3) The vehicles to be used in the transportation. (4) A registration fee of one hundred dollars ($100). (5) A list of the names of the drivers employed by the transporter who transport inedible kitchen grease subject to this article and their drivers' license numbers. (6) Any other information that may be required by the department. (b) Any renderer  who   or collection center that  registers pursuant to this article is not required to pay the fee prescribed in this section. (c) The department may refuse to issue an original or renewal registration certificate to any applicant for which the grounds specified in subdivisions (a) to (e), inclusive, of Section 19314 exist. (d) (1) The applicant may appeal the decision of the department to refuse to register the applicant. (2) The department shall establish procedures for the appeals process, to include a noticed hearing. (3) The department may reverse a decision to refuse to register the applicant, upon a finding of good cause to do so. SEC. 4. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.