Section 78002 Of Article 8. Continuation Or Suspension And Termination From California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 22. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 20. >> Article 8.
78002
. (a) Upon a finding by a two-thirds vote of the membership of
the commission that the operation of this chapter has not tended to
effectuate its declared purposes, the commission may recommend to the
director that the operation of this chapter be suspended. However,
any suspension shall not become effective until the expiration of the
current marketing year.
(b) The director shall, upon receipt of the recommendation, or
may, after a public hearing to review a petition filed with the
director requesting a suspension signed by not less than 20 percent
of the producers by number who produced not less than 20 percent of
the gross dollar value of flowers in the immediately preceding
marketing year, hold a referendum among the producers to determine if
the operations of the commission shall be suspended. However, the
director shall not hold a referendum as a result of the petition
unless the petitioner shows, by a preponderance of evidence, that the
operation of this chapter has not tended to effectuate its declared
purposes.
(c) The director shall establish a referendum period, which shall
not be less than 10 days nor more than 60 days in duration. The
director may prescribe additional procedures as may be necessary to
conduct the referendum. At the close of the established referendum
period, the director shall tabulate the ballots filed during the
period. The director shall suspend the operation of this chapter if
the director finds that at least 40 percent of the total number of
producers from the list established by the director have participated
in the referendum and either one of the following has occurred:
(1) Sixty-five precent or more of the producers who voted in the
referendum voted in favor of suspension, and the producers so voting
marketed a majority of the total gross dollar value of flowers in the
preceding marketing year by all of the producers who voted in the
referendum.
(2) A majority of the producers who voted in the referendum voted
in favor of suspension, 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.