Pest control: Pierce's disease.

(1) Existing law establishes the Pierce's Disease Control Program in the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Pierce's Disease Management Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. Existing law allows certain money in this account to be expended to combat Pierce's disease and its vectors, including the glassy-winged sharpshooter, and for purposes relating to other designated pests and diseases, as provided. Existing law makes these provisions inoperative on March 1, 2031. This bill would extend the operation of these provisions to March 1, 2036. By extending the operative date for a partially continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. (2) Existing law creates in the department the Pierce's Disease and Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board, which consists of specified members, and prescribes the functions and duties of the board with respect to implementation of the Pierce's disease program. Existing law provides for an annual assessment to be paid by grape processors, as defined, into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund and continuously appropriates the collected funds for the purposes of, among other things, research and other activities related to the Pierce's disease program. Existing law repeals these provisions on March 1, 2031. This bill would extend the operation of these provisions to March 1, 2036, except that this bill would make these provisions inoperative as of March 1, 2031, unless the Secretary of Food and Agriculture finds that a favorable vote in a specified referendum has been given. The bill would require, no later than April 15, 2030, the secretary to establish a list of those individuals eligible to vote in the referendum on the continued implementation of these provisions, as specified. By extending the date until which the assessments are collected and deposited into a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. (3) Existing law, until March 1, 2031, requires the secretary to appoint an advisory task force for the purpose of advising the secretary on the control and management of Pierce's disease. This bill would extend the operation of these provisions to March 1, 2036. (4) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.