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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, Second Regular Session
citrus research council; fee increase
Purpose
Increases the maximum fee that the Citrus Research Council (Council) may assess for citrus produced and allows the Council to assess different fees for fresh market citrus and citrus produced for juice production. Contains requirements for enactment and becomes effective on signature of the Governor (Proposition 108).
Background
Citrus is statutorily defined as varieties of the genus citrus commercially produced in Arizona for fresh market but does not include commercially produced by-products or products manufactured for resale.
Current statute authorizes the Council to annually assess up to $0.015 per standard carton of citrus produced. Collected fee monies are deposited into the Citrus Research Fund and used to conduct research and enter into contracts for the research development and survey programs concerning varietal development, citrus pest eradication, production, harvesting, handling and hauling from field to market, and any other programs excluding sales or marketing the Council deems appropriate (A.R.S §§ 3-468, 3-468.02 and 3-468.04).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Increases, $0.015 to $0.05, the maximum fee that the Council may assess per standard carton of citrus produced and allows the fee to alternatively be assessed per forty pounds of equivalent citrus weight in bulk bins.
2. Allows the Council to assess different fee amounts for citrus produced for fresh market and citrus produced for juice production.
3. Redefines citrus as varieties of the genus citrus that are commercially produced in Arizona for the fresh market or for juice production but does not include commercially produced by-products or products manufactured for resale.
4. Makes technical and conforming changes.
5. Requires for enactment the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of each house of the Legislature (Proposition 108).
6. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor.
House Action
LAG 1/28/20 DP 7-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/17/20 49-11-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 3, 2020
KN/CDT/gs