Pest control: Pierce's disease.

Existing law establishes the Pierce's Disease Control Program in the Department of Food and Agriculture and requires the Governor to appoint a statewide coordinator. Existing law establishes the Pierce's Disease Management Account in the Food and Agriculture Fund and allows certain money in this account to be expended to combat Pierce's disease and its vectors, including the glassy-winged sharpshooter, and for purposes relating to other designated pests and diseases, as provided. Existing law makes these provisions inoperative on March 1, 2021, and repeals them on January 1, 2022. This bill would extend to March 1, 2026, the date on which the above provisions become inoperative, and would repeal those provisions on January 1, 2027. The bill would require the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to appoint a statewide coordinator. By extending the operative date for a partially continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation. Existing law creates in the department the Pierce's 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 Pierce's disease program. Existing law provides for an annual assessment to be paid by grape processors, as defined, into the Food and Agriculture Fund and continuously appropriates the collected funds for the purposes of, among other things, research and other activities related to the Pierce's disease program. Existing law repeals these provisions on March 1, 2021. This bill would extend the repeal date of these provisions to March 1, 2026, and would make related conforming changes. By extending the date until which the assessments are collected, the bill would make an appropriation.