Bill Text: CA AB222 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Food and Agriculture: omnibus bill.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-3)

Status: (Passed) 2011-07-25 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 97, Statutes of 2011. [AB222 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB222-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 222	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Agriculture (Galgiani (Chair), Valadao
(Vice Chair), Bill Berryhill, Hill, Ma, Mendoza, Olsen, Perea, and
Yamada)

                        FEBRUARY 1, 2011

   An act to amend Sections 221.1 and 492 of the Food and
Agricultural Code, relating to agriculture.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 222, as introduced, Committee on Agriculture. Food and
Agriculture Fund: Food Biotechnology Task Force: reporting.
   Existing law establishes the Department of Food and Agriculture
Fund, a continuously appropriated fund used for specified purposes
relating to enforcement of various provisions of law relating to
various agriculture programs. Notwithstanding those provisions,
existing law requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to
establish all permanent positions with the Controller's office
pursuant to standard state administrative practices, and to report to
the chairs of the fiscal committees of the Legislature, no later
than January 10, 2005, on the positions established and funded, as
specified.
   Existing law also establishes the Food Biotechnology Task Force
and authorizes the task force to request particular agencies to lead
the effort to evaluate various factors related to food biotechnology.
Existing law requires the task force to report the issues studied,
findings, basis for their findings, and recommendations to the
Governor and the Legislature by January 1, 2003.
   This bill would delete the obsolete reporting requirements from
these provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 221.1 of the Food and Agricultural Code is
amended to read:
   221.1.   (a)    Notwithstanding
Section 221, the department shall establish all permanent positions
with the Controller's office, pursuant to standard state
administrative practices. 
   (b) The department shall report to the chairs of the fiscal
committees of the Legislature and to the Legislative Analyst's office
on or before January 10, 2005, on the positions established pursuant
to subdivision (a) that have been funded by the department's general
authority. The report shall include a description of the positions
by program, classification, and source of funding, as well as a
complete description of the workload for the positions. 
  SEC. 2.  Section 492 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended
to read:
   492.  (a) The Legislature hereby creates the Food Biotechnology
Task Force. The task force shall be cochaired by the Secretary of
California Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of the
California Department of Food and Agriculture. The task force shall
consult with appropriate state agencies and the University of
California. The Department of Food and Agriculture shall be the lead
agency.
   (b) An advisory committee shall be appointed by the task force to
provide input on issues reviewed by the task force. The advisory
committee shall consist of representatives from consumer groups,
environmental organizations, farmers, ranchers, representatives from
the biotechnology industry, researchers, organic farmers, food
processors, retailers, and others with interests in the issues
surrounding biotechnology.
   (c) The Department of Food and Agriculture shall make funds
available to other agencies to accomplish the purposes of this
article and shall contract, where appropriate, with the California
Council on Science and Technology, the University of California, or
other entities to review issues evaluated by the task force or
support activities of the advisory committee.
   (d) The task force may request particular agencies to lead the
effort to evaluate various factors related to food biotechnology. As
funding becomes available, the task force shall evaluate factors
including all of the following:
   (1) Definition and categorization of food biotechnology and
production processes.
   (2) Scientific literature on the subject, and a characterization
of information resources readily available to consumers.
   (3) Issues related to domestic and international marketing of
biotechnology foods such as the handling, processing, manufacturing,
distribution, labeling, and marketing of these products.
   (4) Potential benefits and impacts to human health, the state's
economy, and the environment accruing from food biotechnology.
   (5) Existing federal and state evaluation and oversight
procedures. 
   (e) The task force shall report issues studied, findings, basis
for their findings, and recommendations to the Governor and the
Legislature by January 1, 2003.  
   (f) 
    (e)  An initial sum of one hundred twenty-five thousand
dollars ($125,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund for
disbursement to the Department of Food and Agriculture. It is the
intent of the Legislature to make further funds available to
accomplish the purposes contained in this article.