Title FAC — California Food & Agric. Code

(a) The commission shall establish an annual budget and maintain records of expenditures according to generally accepted accounting practices. The budget shall be concurred in by the secretary before the disbursement of moneys, except for ongoing disbursements made in relation to…

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

The commission and the secretary shall keep confidential and shall not disclose, except when required by a court order after a hearing in a judicial proceeding, all lists of persons subject to this chapter in their possession. However, the commission shall establish procedures to…

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.

The commission may administer any government program engaged in the activities authorized by this chapter and that directly affects the spiny lobster fishery, upon the request of an authorized agent of the program.

The commission may approve payment of a stipend to commission members of not more than one hundred forty-five dollars ($145) for each day a member is on official commission business pursuant to Section 79167, not to exceed seven hundred twenty-five dollars ($725) in any single mo…

(a) Within 60 days of the effective date of this chapter, the secretary shall establish a list of fishermen eligible to vote on the implementation of this chapter. In establishing the list, the secretary may require that fishermen submit the names and mailing addresses of all fis…

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

(a) The secretary shall establish a period in which to conduct the referendum, which shall not be less than 10 days or more than 60 days in duration, and may prescribe additional procedures necessary to conduct the referendum, including measures to maximize the likelihood that al…

(a) If the secretary finds that a favorable vote has been given, pursuant to Section 79180.5, the secretary shall certify and give notice of the favorable vote to all affected fishermen whose names and addresses are on file with the secretary. (b) If the secretary finds that a fa…

(a) Before a referendum vote conducted by the secretary pursuant to this article, the proponents of the commission shall deposit with the secretary the amount that the secretary deems necessary to defray the expenses of preparing the necessary lists and information and conducting…

(a) If the first referendum vote conducted pursuant to this article fails and a second referendum vote is not conducted and certified as of the date that is two years later, this chapter is repealed as of that date, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before that date,…

(a) The commission shall establish an assessment for the season not later than February 1 of each year. The assessment in the marketing season of the commission’s operation shall be ten cents ($0.10) for each pound of spiny lobster landed by fishermen in the state. Thereafter, th…

Every person who handles spiny lobster in any quantity shall keep a complete and accurate record of all transactions involving the purchase or sale of spiny lobster. The records shall be in a simple form and contain the information the commission prescribes. The records shall be …

(a) All proprietary information obtained by the commission or the secretary from any source, including, but not limited to, the names and addresses of fishermen and the volume and value of landings made or purchased, is confidential and shall not be disclosed except when required…

The first handler of spiny lobster being assessed shall deduct the assessment from amounts paid by him or her to the fisherman, and shall be a trustee of these assessments until they are paid to the commission at the time and in the manner prescribed by the commission. The failur…

When the handler is a corporation, all of the directors and officers of the corporation in their capacity as individuals shall be included, and any liability for violating this chapter, including, but not limited to, failing to pay assessments or to collect assessments, shall als…

Any person who fails to pay an assessment, including submitting any records required by the commission, within the time required by the commission shall pay to the commission a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the assessment determined to be due, and, in addition, shall pay…

In addition to any other penalty imposed, the commission may require any person who fails to pay an assessment or related charge pursuant to this article to furnish and maintain a surety bond in a form and amount, and for a period of time, specified by the commission as assurance…

It is a misdemeanor for any person to do any of the following: (a) Willfully render or furnish a false report, statement, or record required by the commission, or in any way to affect the shipment and marketing of spiny lobster with the intent to avoid payment of assessments. (b)…

The commission shall establish procedures for the purpose of according individuals aggrieved by its actions or determinations an informal hearing before the commission or before a committee of the commission designated for that purpose. Appeals from the decisions of the commissio…

(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 the obtaining of injunctive relief or specific performance regarding this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant to…

Any action by the commission for any violation of this chapter shall be commenced within two years from the date of the discovery of the alleged violation. Any action against the commission by any person shall be commenced within two years from the date of the act of which the pe…

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

Every five years, commencing with the fifth year following certification of the commission, the secretary shall hold a hearing to determine whether the operation of this chapter should be continued. If the secretary finds after the hearing that a substantial question exists among…

If the secretary finds after conducting a hearing that no substantial question exists or that a favorable vote has been given, the secretary shall certify that this chapter remains operative. If the secretary finds that a favorable vote has not been given, he or she shall certify…

The process specified in Section 79195 shall be conducted by the secretary every fifth year following the initial certification of the commission, unless a referendum is conducted as the result of a petition pursuant to Section 79196.5. In that case, the hearing, and the referend…

(a) Upon a finding by a two-thirds vote of the membership of the commission that the operation of this chapter has not tended to achieve its declared purposes, the commission may recommend to the secretary that the operation of this chapter be suspended. However, a suspension sha…

After the effective date of suspension of this chapter, the operation of the commission shall be concluded and all moneys held by the commission not required to defray the expenses of concluding and terminating operations of the commission shall be returned on a pro rata basis to…

Upon the suspension of the operation of this chapter, the commission shall mail a copy of the notice of the suspension to all eligible persons affected by the suspension whose names and addresses are on file.