Article 3. The California Apiary Research Commission of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 22. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 28. >> Article 3.

(a) There is in the state government the California Apiary Research Commission. The commission shall be composed of six assessment-paying producers and one public member. Producers without reference to districts shall elect one producer member with principal residence from each of districts 1, 2, 3, and 4, and two producers at large without reference to districts. The public member shall be appointed to the commission by the secretary based on the recommendation from the commission.
  (b) The secretary and other appropriate persons, as determined by the commission, shall be ex officio members of the commission.

(a) The secretary may require the commission to correct or cease any existing activity or function that is determined by the secretary to be in violation of this chapter or not to be in the public interest.
  (b) If the commission refuses or fails to cease those activities or functions or to make corrections as required by the secretary, the secretary may, upon written notice, suspend all or a portion of the activities or functions of the commission until such time as the cessation or correction of activities or functions as required by the secretary has been accomplished by the commission.
  (c) Actions of the commission in violation of the secretary's written notice shall be without legal force or effect. The secretary, to the extent feasible, shall issue the written notice prior to the commission entering into any contractual relationship affecting the existing or proposed activities or functions that are the subject of the written notice.
  (d) Upon service of the written notice, the secretary shall notify the commission in writing of the specific acts that he or she determines are not in the public interest or are in violation of this chapter, and his or her reasons for requiring a cessation or correction of specific existing or proposed activities or functions, and may make recommendations that will make those activities or functions acceptable to him or her.

The commission or the secretary may bring an action for judicial relief from the secretary's written notice, or from noncompliance by the commission with the written notice, in a court of competent jurisdiction, which may issue a temporary restraining order, permanent injunction, or other applicable relief.

The commission shall reimburse the secretary for all expenditures incurred by the secretary in carrying out his or her duties and responsibilities under this chapter. However, a court may, if it finds that the secretary acted arbitrarily or capriciously in restricting the activities or functions of the commission, relieve the commission of the responsibility for payment of the secretary's legal costs with regard to that action.

Each producer member of the commission shall have an alternate member appointed or elected in the same manner as the member. An alternate member, in the absence of the member for which he or she is an alternate, shall serve in place of the member on the commission. An alternate member may also serve in place of any other absent member, if the member's alternate is also absent. However, an alternate may not serve in place of more than one absent member at a meeting. An alternate member serving in place of a member shall have and be able to exercise all rights, privileges, and powers of the member when serving on the commission. In the event of death, removal, resignation, or the disqualification of a member, the alternate for that member, or another alternate if the alternate for the absent member is also absent, shall act as a member on the commission until a qualified successor is elected.

The public member shall have an alternate member appointed in the same manner as the public member. The alternate public member, in the absence of the public member, shall serve in place of the public member. The alternate public member serving in place of the public member shall have and be able to exercise all rights, privileges, and powers of the public member when serving on the commission. In the event of death, removal, resignation, or the disqualification of the public member, the alternate public member shall act as the public member on the commission until a qualified successor is appointed.

Any vacancy on the commission, including, but not limited to, the failure of any person elected to the commission as a member or alternate member to continue in his or her position due to a change in status making him or her ineligible to serve, or due to death, removal, or resignation, shall be filled by the appointment of another person, for the unexpired portion of the term, by a majority vote of the commission. However, the appointee shall fulfill all the qualifications set forth in this article as required for the office he or she is to occupy.

A producer member, or his or her alternate, shall be an assessment-paying beekeeper who has a financial interest in producing, or causing to be produced, pollination units, bees, honey, or hive products for market. The producer member or his or her alternate shall be so qualified during the entire term of office.

The public member, or his or her alternate, shall have all the powers, rights, and privileges of any other member on the commission. The public member shall not have any financial interest in the beekeeping industry.

The term of office of all members and alternates, except any ex officio member, shall be three years from the date of their election, but they may serve until their successors are elected.

The commission may sue and be sued and enter into contracts. Copies of its proceedings, records, and acts, when authenticated, shall be admissible in evidence in all courts of the state, and shall be prima facie evidence of the truth of all statements therein.

A quorum of the commission is a majority of the producer members. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the vote of a majority of members present at a meeting at which there is a quorum shall constitute an act of the commission.

The secretary or his or her representatives shall be notified and may attend each meeting of the commission and any committee meeting of the commission. However, the secretary is not entitled to attend an executive session of the commission called for the purpose of discussing potential or actual litigation against the department.

No member of the commission or of any committee established by the commission, which may include nonmembers of the commission, shall receive a salary. Except for ex officio government members, the members may receive reasonable and necessary traveling expenses and meal allowances, as established by the commission, for each day spent in actual attendance at, or in traveling to and from, meetings of the commission or committees of the commission, or on special assignment for the commission.

If the secretary is required to concur in a decision of the commission, he or she shall indicate his or her response to the commission within 15 working days from notification of the decision. The response may be a request that additional information be provided.

All moneys received by any person from assessments levied under the authority of this chapter or otherwise received by the commission shall be deposited in banks designated by the commission and shall be disbursed by order of the commission through an agent or agents designated for that purpose. Any authorized agent or agents shall be bonded by a fidelity bond, executed by a surety company authorized to transact business in the state, in favor of the commission, in an amount of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

The state shall not be liable for the acts of the commission or its contracts. Payment of all claims arising by reason of the administration of this chapter or acts of the commission shall be limited to the funds collected by the commission. No member, alternate member, or any agent of the commission shall be personally liable on the contracts of the commission and no member, alternate member, or agent of the commission shall be responsible individually in any way to any producer or any other person for errors in judgment, mistakes, or other acts, either of commission or omission, as principal or agent, except for his or her own individual acts of dishonesty or crime. No member or alternate member shall be held responsible individually for any act or omission of any other member or alternate member of the commission. The liability of the members and alternate members shall be several and not joint, and no member or alternate member shall be liable for the default of any other member or alternate member.