2350.
(a) For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:(1) “Managerial employee” means a person who meets all of the following criteria:
(A) Has management authority with responsibility to oversee the care and well-being of the qualifying livestock producer’s livestock. livestock or qualifying agricultural producer’s operations.
(B) Primarily engages in managerial job duties and
customarily and regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment in these duties. These duties shall be specified in a written job description issued no later than 90 days before the date of the flood, storm, fire, earthquake, or other disaster.
(C) Earns a monthly salary equivalent to no less than two times the state minimum wage for full-time employment at the time of the flood, storm, fire, earthquake, or other disaster.
(2) “Qualifying agricultural producer” means a commercial agricultural producer, as determined by the county agency, who has been certified as successfully completing the curriculum developed pursuant to Section 13105.6 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3) “Qualifying livestock producer”
means a commercial livestock producer, as determined by the county agency, who has been certified as successfully completing the curriculum developed pursuant to Section 13105.6 of the Health and Safety Code.
(b) (1) Upon the approval of a county board of supervisors, a county agricultural commissioner, or other agency designated by the county board of supervisors, is authorized to may establish within that county an agricultural pass program for pursuant to this section. An agricultural pass program created
pursuant to this section may be for, but is not limited to, the purpose of issuing identification documents granting any qualifying agricultural producer, qualifying livestock producer, or a managerial employee of the qualifying agricultural producer or
qualifying livestock producer, access to the qualifying agricultural producer’s or qualifying livestock producer’s farm or ranch property during or following a flood, storm, fire, earthquake, or other disaster.
(2) (A) A managerial employee of a qualifying agricultural producer or qualifying livestock producer shall not be required by the qualifying agricultural producer or qualifying livestock producer to obtain an agricultural pass. Access to a qualifying agricultural producer’s or qualifying livestock producer’s farm or ranch by a managerial employee shall be fully voluntary on the part of the managerial employee.
(B) A person shall not require any employee to obtain or use an agricultural pass or to enter or be present on the qualifying
agricultural producer’s or qualifying livestock producer’s farm or ranch property during or following a flood, storm, fire, earthquake, or other disaster. A person shall not in any manner discriminate, retaliate, or take any adverse action against an employee for refusing to obtain or use an agricultural pass or to enter or be present on the qualifying agricultural producer’s or qualifying livestock producer’s farm or ranch property during or following a flood, storm, fire, earthquake, or other disaster. Any person who believes that they have been discriminated or retaliated against in violation of this section may, in addition to any other available remedy, file a complaint pursuant to Section 98.7 of the Labor Code for remedies available under Section 98.6 of the Labor Code.
(C) Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring a managerial
employee of a qualifying agricultural producer or qualifying livestock producer to be present on a farm or ranch property during or following a flood, storm, fire, earthquake, or other disaster.
(c) (1) An applicant for an agricultural pass shall provide, or the relevant county agency shall otherwise obtain, documentation sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant is a commercial agricultural producer or commercial livestock producer, or a managerial employee of a commercial agricultural producer or commercial livestock producer. The documentation may include, but is not limited to, any of the following:
(A) An operator identification number issued by a county agricultural commissioner.
(B) An Internal Revenue Service Schedule F (Form 1040) attesting to the applicant’s Profit or Loss From Farming.
(C) Assessor’s parcel numbers confirming agricultural zoning for the property or properties upon which access is sought.
(D) Agricultural land lease documentation.
(E) Documentation attesting to the applicant’s enrollment in a Williamson Act contract as authorized pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 51200) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code.
(F) Documentation from the United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency attesting that the applicant is a commercial agricultural producer or commercial livestock
producer.
(G) Current registration of a livestock brand with the Bureau of Livestock Identification.
(2) An applicant for an agricultural pass shall furnish to the relevant county agency a description or map of all lands owned or managed by the applicant for which disaster access is sought.
(d) (1) Access granted pursuant to an agricultural pass shall be limited to the purposes of sheltering, moving, following purposes:
(A) Sheltering, moving, transporting, evacuating, feeding, watering, or administering veterinary care to livestock, or providing livestock.
(B) Irrigating, harvesting, or other activities necessary for caring for agricultural crops.
(C) Providing
local expertise to peace officers and emergency personnel. Local expertise shall only be provided upon the request of peace officers and emergency personnel.
(2) A holder of an agricultural pass may have access to the farm or ranch property that is owned by another holder of an agricultural pass, with permission from that agricultural passholder, for purposes of providing assistance with those activities specified in paragraph (1) during or following a flood, storm, fire, earthquake, or other disaster.
(3) Access under this section to areas closed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 409.5 of the Penal Code may only be granted by the incident commander, a law enforcement official having jurisdiction, or their designee. When access is granted by emergency
response personnel other than the incident commander, the emergency response personnel shall notify incident command that access has been provided to the agricultural passholder.
(4) For purposes of this subdivision, “local expertise” may include identifying access roads, water points, and other local knowledge that may assist firefighters or other emergency response personnel.
(e) (1) An agricultural pass identification document issued pursuant to subdivision (b) for the purpose of authorizing access during a disaster shall include, at a minimum, all of the
following information:
(A) The name of the applicant and cardholder.
(B) The name or names of the farm or ranch to which the cardholder seeks access in the event of a disaster.
(C) The expiration date of the identification document, if an expiration date was established by the county.
(D) The seal or logo of the authorizing agency and the signature of the issuing officer.
(2) An agricultural pass identification document authorizing access during a disaster that does not include a photograph of the cardholder shall not be a valid document for purposes of subdivision (b) unless
accompanied by a valid photo identification document issued by the state or federal government.
(f)Notwithstanding this section, an agricultural pass issued by a county in which an agricultural pass or equivalent program was established before January 1, 2022, shall be deemed to be in compliance with this section until the expiration date noted on the agricultural pass
or until December 31, 2025, whichever date occurs first.
(f) Nothing in this section requires a county to adopt an agricultural pass program, or similar program, pursuant to this section or restricts a county’s authority to adopt an agricultural pass program, or similar program, under any other provision of law.