AB 1861: Pest control: Pierce’s disease.

Existing law establishes the Pierces Disease Control Program in the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Pierces Disease Management Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. Existing law allows certain money in this account to be expended to combat Pierces disease and its vectors, including the glassy-winged sharpshooter, and for purposes relating to other designated pests and diseases, as provided. Existing law requires the department to submit an annual report to the Legislature regarding its expenditures, progress, and ongoing priorities in combating Pierces disease and its vectors in California. Existing law makes these provisions inoperative on March 1, 2026, and repeals them on January 1, 2027.

This bill would extend to March 1, 2031, the date on which the above provisions become inoperative, and would repeal those provisions on January 1, 2032. By extending the operative date for a partially continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. The bill would also delete the requirement for the department to submit the annual report to the Legislature.

Existing law creates in the department the Pierces 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 Pierces 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 Pierces disease program. Existing law also requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to report on the status of the program on a biennial basis to specified committees of the Legislature. Existing law repeals these provisions on March 1, 2026.

This bill would extend the repeal date of these provisions to March 1, 2031, and would make related conforming changes. By extending the date until which the assessments are collected, the bill would make an appropriation. The bill would require the secretary to prepare the report on an annual basis instead of a biennial basis, to make the report available on the departments internet website instead of submitting it to those committees of the Legislature, and to include information about the status of the Pierces Disease Control Program in the report.

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.