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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
citrus research council; fee increase
Purpose
Increases limit of the per-carton citrus fee assessed by the Arizona Citrus Research Council (Council) to $0.05 and allows the Council to assess fees for the fresh market and juice production at different amounts. Contains requirements for enactment and becomes effective on signature of the Governor (Proposition 108).
Background
The Council consists of five producers appointed by the governor including two producers from District one including Yuma county, one producer from District two including Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties, and two producers appointed at large (A.R.S. § 3-468.01). Statute allows the council to authorize or contract for programs concerning varietal development, citrus pest eradication, and production, harvesting, handling and hauling from field to market. The current per-carton citrus fee limit is not more than one and one-half cents per carton of citrus produced (A.R.S. § 3-468.02).
Statute defines citrus as varieties of the genus citrus commercially produced in Arizona for the fresh market but does not include commercially produced by-products or products manufactured for resale (A.R.S. § 3-468).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact on the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Increases, from $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
LARA 1/20/21 DP 11-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/4/21 46-13-0-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 8, 2021
KN/RA/gs