California Assembly Bill AB1886 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1886INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chesbro FEBRUARY 22, 2012 An act to amend Sections 15100, 15101, 15103, 15104, and 15105 of, and to add and repeal Section 15106 of, the Fish and Game Code, relating to aquaculture. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1886, as introduced, Chesbro. Aquaculture. Existing law establishes within the Department of Fish and Game an aquaculture coordinator to perform prescribed duties relating to the aquaculture industry. Existing law requires the owner of an aquaculture facility to register certain information with the department by March 1 of each year, and requires the department to impose prescribed fees for registration and renewal. Existing law also requires, in addition to the registration and renewal fees, a surcharge fee to be paid at the time of registration by the owner of an aquaculture facility if the gross annual sales of aquaculture products of the facility during the prior calendar year exceed $25,000. Existing law imposes a penalty fee for delinquent fees. Existing law requires the department to maintain the internal accountability necessary to ensure that all restrictions on the expenditure of these fee revenues are met. This bill would include in the duties of the coordinator the requirement to coordinate with the Aquaculture Development Committee. The bill would increase those registration, renewal, surcharge, and penalty fees. The bill would require the department to provide an accounting of the aquaculture coordinator program account balance and expenditures upon request of the Aquaculture Development Committee or the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture. The bill would restrict the use of fee revenues to paying the costs of the administration and enforcement of the program. The bill would require the department to prepare and submit to the Legislature on or before February 1, 2017, a report regarding the aquaculture coordinator program. The bill would repeal the aquaculture coordinator program on January 1, 2018. 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 15100 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read: 15100. There is within the department an aquaculture coordinator who shall perform all of the following duties  as part of the aquaculture coordinator program  : (a) Promote understanding of aquaculture among public agencies and the general public. (b) Propose methods of reducing the negative impact of public regulation at all levels of government on the aquaculture industry. (c) Provide information on all aspects of regulatory compliance to the various sectors of the aquaculture industry. (d) Provide such advice to aquaculturists on project siting and facility design that may be needed to comply with regulatory requirements.  (e) Coordinate with the Aquaculture Development Committee regarding the duties described in subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive.  SEC. 2. Section 15101 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read: 15101. (a) The owner of each aquaculture facility shall register all of the following information with the department by March 1 of each year: (1) The owner's name. (2) The species grown. (3) The location or locations of each operation or operations. (b) The department may provide registration forms for this purpose, may establish a procedure for the review of the information provided to ensure that the operation will not be detrimental to native wildlife, and shall impose a registration fee of  five hundred forty-nine   eight hundred  dollars  ($549)   ($800)  to recover the cost of reviewing new registrations. For renewing registrations, the department shall impose a registration fee of  two hundred seventy-five   five hundred  dollars  ($275)   ($500)  . It is unlawful to conduct aquaculture operations or to culture approved species of aquatic plants and animals unless registered under this section. The registration fees specified in this section are applicable to the  2004   2013  registration year and shall be adjusted annually thereafter pursuant to Section 713. (c) The annual registration of information required by subdivision (b) is not a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code). SEC. 3. Section 15103 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read: 15103. (a) In addition to the fees specified in Section 15101, a surcharge fee of  four hundred twelve   six hundred  dollars  ($412)   ($600)  shall be paid at the time of registration by the owner of an aquaculture facility if the gross annual sales of aquaculture products of the facility during the prior calendar year exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000). (b) Each registered aquaculturist shall maintain sales and production records which shall be made available upon request of the department to assist the department in the administration of this chapter. (c) Any person who fails to pay the surcharge fee required in this section at the time of registration shall be assessed a delinquency penalty pursuant to Section 15104. (d) The surcharge imposed pursuant to this section shall be applicable to the  2004   2013  registration year and shall be adjusted annually thereafter pursuant to Section 713. SEC. 4. Section 15104 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read: 15104. (a) If any person engages in the business of aquaculture, as regulated under this division, without having paid the registration fee or surcharge fee within one calendar month of the commencement of business, or, for renewal of registration, on or before April 1 of the registration year, the fees are delinquent. (b) A penalty shall be paid at the time of registration for any fees that are delinquent in the amount of  fifty   one hundred fifty  dollars  ($50)   ($150)  . (c) The penalty imposed pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be applicable to the  2005   2013  registration year, and shall be adjusted thereafter pursuant to Section 713. SEC. 5. Section 15105 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read: 15105. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13001 or 13002, all moneys collected by the department pursuant to this division shall be deposited in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund and shall be expended solely on the department's aquaculture program pursuant to this division. (b) Notwithstanding Section 13004, these moneys are available for appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act for purposes of this division. (c) The department shall maintain internal accountability necessary to ensure that all restrictions on the expenditure of these funds are met  and shall provide an   accounting of the aquaculture coordinator program account balance and expenditures upon request of the Aquaculture D  evelopment Committee or the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture  .  (d) Revenues pursuant to this chapter may be used only to pay the costs incurred in the administration and enforcement of the program.   (e) The department shall prepare and submit to the Legislature on or before February 1, 2017, a report regarding the aquaculture coordinator program undertaken using revenues derived pursuant to that program, the benefits derived, and its recommendations for revising the aquaculture coordinator program requirement, if any. The report submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.  SEC. 6. Section 15106 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read: 15106. This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.