California Assembly Bill AB735 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 735AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 21, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Committee on Agriculture (Galgiani (Chair), Tom Berryhill (Vice Chair), Arambula, Conway, Fuller, Ma, Mendoza, and Yamada) FEBRUARY 26, 2009 An act to amend Sections 72027, 72051, and 72060 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to wheat. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 735, as amended, Committee on Agriculture. California Wheat Commission. Existing law establishes in state government the California Wheat Commission, which is composed of 15 members who are wheat producers and who are not handlers, 2 members who are handlers, and one public member. This bill would change the composition of this commission to 13 members who are wheat producers and who are not handlers, 2 members who are handlers, 2 at-large members, and one public member. Each at-large member would be required to be a person with knowledge, expertise, and interest in wheat production, handling, research, or any other attribute or attributes that are deemed by the secretary to be of value to the purpose of the commission.  Existing law provides that a quorum of the California Wheat Commission shall be any 10 commissioners.   This bill would instead provide that a quorum shall be a majority of the commissioners.  Existing law regarding the California Wheat Commission establishes 15 districts comprised of counties and other geographic areas. This bill would reduce the number of districts to 13, would change the boundaries of the districts, and would authorize the number of districts to be changed by a 2/3 vote of the commission,  which   as long as proper notice is provided to all persons subject to the laws governing the commission and the action of the commission  is concurred in by the secretary, to ensure proper representation by producers. 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. Section 72027 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read: 72027. "Districts" shall consist of the following: (a) District 1 consists of Siskiyou, Tehama, Lassen, Modoc, and Shasta Counties. (b) District 2 consists of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, and Lake Counties. (c) District 3 consists of Napa, Sonoma, Yolo, Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Yuba, Nevada, Sutter, and Sierra Counties and that portion of Sacramento County lying north of Road J-11 and east of the Sacramento River from Walnut Grove to Courtland. (d) District 4 consists of Solano County and that portion of Sacramento County not included in District 3. (e) District 5 consists of Alameda, Contra Costa, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin Counties. (f) District 6 consists of Merced and Madera Counties. (g) District 7 consists of Fresno County. (h) District 8 consists of Kings and Tulare Counties. (i) District 9 consists of Kern County. (j) District 10 consists of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and San Benito Counties. (k) District 11 consists of San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. (l) District 12 consists of that part of Imperial County lying north of Keystone Road. (m) District 13 consists of that part of Imperial County lying south of Keystone Road. The number of districts and boundaries of any district may be changed by a two-thirds vote of the commission,  which   as long as proper notice is provided to all persons subject to this chapter and the action of the commission  is concurred in by the secretary, to ensure proper representation by producers. These boundaries need not coincide with county lines. SEC. 2. Section 72051 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read: 72051. There is in the state government the California Wheat Commission. The commission shall be composed of 13 members who are wheat producers and who are not handlers, two members who are handlers, two at-large members, and one public member. The producers, one from each district, shall be elected by and from producers within the respective districts. The two handler members shall be elected by and from handlers doing business within the state. The at-large members and the public member shall be appointed to the commission by the secretary from the nominees recommended by the commission. Each at-large member shall be a person with knowledge, expertise, and interest in wheat production, handling, research, or any other attribute or attributes that are deemed by the secretary to be of value to the purpose of the commission. The secretary and other appropriate individuals as determined by the commission shall be nonvoting ex officio members of the commission. SEC. 3. Section 72060 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read: 72060. A quorum of the commission shall be a majority of the commissioners. Except as provided in Sections 72027 and 72133, the vote of a majority of members present at a meeting at which there is a quorum shall constitute the act of the commission.