Article 5. Implementation And Voting Procedures of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 22. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 20. >> Article 5.

(a) Within 45 days of the effective date of this chapter, the director shall establish a list of producers eligible to vote on the implementation of this chapter. In establishing the list, the director may require that producers submit the names and mailing addresses of all known producers. The director shall receive suggestions for inclusion on that list from any organization of producers, and may verify the eligibility of any person so suggested. The director also may require that the information provided include the quantity of flowers produced by each producer or, in the alternative, may establish procedures for receiving the information at the time of the referendum vote conducted pursuant to Section 77971. The request for the information shall be in writing, and the requested information shall be filed within 10 days following receipt of the request.
  (b) Any producer whose name does not appear upon the appropriate list may have his or her name placed on the list by filing with the director a signed statement identifying himself or herself as a producer. The absence of a producer's name from the list does not exempt the producer from paying assessments and does not invalidate any industry votes conducted pursuant to this article.
  (c) Proponents and opponents of the commission may contact producers on the lists in a form and manner prescribed by the director so long as all expenses associated with the contacts are paid in advance.
  (d) Any proponent or opponent of the commission may submit to the director a statement of his or her position on the matter, and the director shall include these statements with the referendum ballots.

This chapter, except as necessary to conduct an implementation referendum vote, shall not become operative until the director finds, in a referendum vote conducted by the director that at least 40 percent of the total number of producers from the list established by the director pursuant to this article have participated and that either of the following has occurred:
  (a) Sixty-five percent of the producers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of this chapter, and the producers so voting marketed a majority of the gross dollar value of flowers in the preceding marketing year by all of the producers who voted in the referendum.
  (b) A majority of the producers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of this chapter, and the producers so voting marketed 65 percent or more of the total gross dollar value of flowers in the preceding marketing year by all of the producers who voted in the referendum.

The director shall establish a period to conduct the referendum which shall not be less than 10 days nor more than 60 days in duration, and may prescribe additional procedures that may be necessary to conduct the referendum. If the initial period established is less than 60 days, the director may extend the period to not more than 60 days.

The failure of a producer to receive a ballot shall not invalidate a referendum.

If the director finds that a favorable vote has been given as provided in Section 77971, the director shall certify and give notice of the favorable vote to all producers whose names and addresses are on file with the director.

If the director finds that a favorable vote has not been given as provided in Section 77971, the director shall certify and declare this chapter inoperative. The director may conduct another implementation referendum vote one or more years after the previous vote has been taken.

Upon certification of the commission, the director shall contact all producers in each district by mail, or call meetings of producers in each district, for the purpose of nominating and electing persons to the commission. All producers on the director's list shall be given written notice of any election meetings at least 10 days prior to the meeting date. To be eligible for election to the commission, producer nominees shall present to the director a nomination petition with the signatures of at least three eligible producers from the district from which the nominee is seeking election.

Subsequent to the first election of members of the commission pursuant to this chapter, persons to be elected to the commission shall be selected pursuant to nomination and election procedures which are adopted by the commission with the concurrence of the director.

(a) Prior to the director holding the referendum pursuant to Section 77971, the proponents of the commission shall deposit with the director the amount that the director determines necessary to defray the expenses of preparing the necessary lists and information and conducting the referendum.
  (b) Any funds not used in carrying out Section 77971 shall be returned to the proponents of the commission who deposited the funds with the director.
  (c) Upon the establishment of the commission, the commission may reimburse the proponents of the commission for any funds deposited with the director which were used in carrying out Section 77971 and for any legal expenses and other costs incurred in establishing the commission.