Title FAC — California Food & Agric. Code

The commission may appoint committees composed of both board members and nonmembers of the commission to advise the commission in carrying out this chapter.

The commission may establish offices and incur expenses, enter into any and all contracts and agreements, create liabilities, and borrow funds in advance of receipt of assessments as may be necessary, in the opinion of the commission, for the proper administration and enforcement…

The commission shall keep accurate books, records, and accounts of all its dealings, which shall be subject to an annual audit by an auditing firm selected by the commission with the concurrence of the director. A summary of the audit shall be reported to all grape rootstock nurs…

The commission may present facts to, and negotiate with, state, federal, and foreign agencies on matters that affect this chapter, to the extent permitted by federal law.

The commission may make, in its name, contracts to receive or render services in formulating and conducting plans and programs and any other contracts or agreements that the commission deems necessary for carrying out this chapter.

The commission may conduct, and contract with others to conduct, production research, including the study, analysis, accumulation, and dissemination of information obtained from that research or otherwise, regarding this chapter.

The commission may accept contributions or matching private, state, or federal funds, and employ or make contributions of funds to other persons or state or federal agencies, for purposes of carrying out this chapter.

The commission may publish and distribute, without charge, bulletins or other communications for the dissemination of information to grape rootstock nurseries.

The commission shall establish an assessment rate to defray the operating costs of the commission.

The commission shall adopt an annual budget according to accepted accounting practices. The director shall concur in the adoption of the budget prior to the encumbrance of funds, except for encumbrances necessary to pay the compensation of employees of the commission.

The commission shall submit to the director, for his or her concurrence, an annual statement of contemplated activities authorized pursuant to this chapter.

All proprietary information obtained by the commission or the secretary from any source, including all lists of grape rootstock nurseries, shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except when required by a court order after a hearing in a judicial proceeding involving thi…

The commission may investigate and prosecute civil violations of this chapter and file complaints with appropriate law enforcement agencies or officers for suspected criminal violations of this chapter.

(a) Within 30 days of the effective date of this chapter, the director shall establish a list of grape rootstock nurseries eligible to vote on the implementation of this chapter. In establishing the list, the director may require that all grape rootstock nurseries submit the name…

This chapter, except as necessary to conduct an implementation referendum vote, shall not become operative until the director finds, in a referendum vote conducted by the director that at least 40 percent of the total number of grape rootstock nurseries from the list established …

The director shall use invoicable units or grape rootstock acreage in calculating the volume voted pursuant to Section 74771.

The director shall establish a period to conduct the referendum which shall not be less than 10 days nor more than 60 days in duration, and may prescribe additional procedures that may be necessary to conduct the referendum. If the initial period established is less than 60 days,…

The failure of a grape rootstock nursery to receive a ballot shall not invalidate a referendum.

If the director finds that a favorable vote has been given as provided in Section 74771, the director shall certify and give notice of the favorable vote to all affected nurseries whose names and addresses are on file with the director.

If the director finds that a favorable vote has not been given as provided in Section 74771, the director shall certify and declare this chapter inoperative. The director may conduct another implementation referendum vote one or more years after the previous vote has been taken.

Upon certification of the commission, the director shall contact all grape rootstock nurseries by mail, or call meetings of nurseries, for the purpose of nominating and electing persons to the commission. All nurseries on the director’s list shall be given written notice of any e…

Subsequent to the first election of board members pursuant to this chapter, persons to be elected to the commission shall be selected pursuant to nomination and election procedures which are established by the commission with the concurrence of the director.

(a) Prior to the referendum vote conducted by the director pursuant to Section 74771, the proponents of the commission shall deposit with the director the amount that the director determines necessary to defray the expenses of preparing the necessary lists and information and con…

(a) The commission shall establish the assessment for the following marketing year not later than April 1 of each year, or as soon thereafter as is possible. (b) The assessment shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50) per bearing acreage of grape rootstock and two cents ($0.02) per i…

Every nursery, including nurseries exempt from the payment of assessments, shall keep a complete and accurate record of its acreage of grape rootstock and its grape rootstock used or distributed for commercial purposes. The records shall be in simple form and contain information …

Any assessment which is levied pursuant to this chapter is a personal debt of every nursery so assessed.

Any nursery that fails to file a return or pay any assessment within the time required by the commission shall pay the commission a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the assessment determined to be due and, in addition, pay 11/2 percent interest per month on the unpaid balan…

It is unlawful for any person to do any of the following: (a) Refuse to render a report, statement, or record required by the commission. (b) Furnish a false report, statement, or record required by the commission. (c) Secrete, destroy, or alter records required to be kept under …

The commission shall adopt procedures to grant individuals aggrieved by its actions or determinations an informal hearing before the commission or before a committee of the commission designated for this purpose. Appeals from decisions of the commission may be made to the directo…

(a) The commission may commence civil actions and utilize all remedies provided in law or equity for the collection of assessments and civil penalties and for obtaining injunctive relief or specific performance regarding this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant to this c…

The suspension or termination of this chapter shall not affect or waive any right, duty, obligation, or liability which has arisen or which may thereafter arise in connection with this chapter, release or extinguish any violation of this chapter, or affect or impair any right or …

The commission shall conduct a referendum pursuant to Section 74771 no less frequently than every five years, commencing in 1998.

To dissolve the commission, a simple majority vote of the nine board members is required, or the vote of five of a quorum of members present and voting.