District agricultural associations.

(1) Existing law divides the state into agricultural districts, and provides for the management of these districts by district agricultural associations. Existing law provides for a board of directors for each district agricultural association, and provides for the appointment of each director by the Governor. Existing law sets forth the duties and responsibilities of the board of directors and the district agricultural associations, and requires a district agricultural association to take certain actions only with the approval of the Department of Food and Agriculture or the Department of General Services, or both. This bill would authorize the Governor to remove any director of a district agricultural association for cause prior to the expiration of the director's term. The bill would revise the oversight responsibilities of the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Department of General Services in connection with district agricultural associations by deleting the requirement that a district agricultural association obtain approval of the Department of Food and Agriculture or the Department of General Services prior to exercising certain powers, including the power to sue, entering into a settlement agreement for less than $100,000, or contracting or exercising certain powers over its own real or personal property. The bill would require a district agricultural association to comply with specified contracting procedures, including, among others, soliciting bids in writing if the cost of a project exceeds $25,000. The bill would authorize the board of directors of a district agricultural association, with the approval of the Department of General Services, to purchase, acquire, hold, sell, exchange, or convey any interest in real property. The bill would require a district agricultural association to adopt a fiscal review policy that would provide for annual audits, as specified. The bill would also specify that a district agricultural association shall not be required to prepare or submit any written report to the Governor, the Legislature, or a state agency, except as specified. (2) Existing law requires the Department of General Services to exercise oversight of the acquisition and replacement of motor vehicles and other mobile equipment by a state agency. Existing law defines "state agency" for purposes of those provisions. Existing law requires the Trustees of the California State University to purchase vehicles using statewide commodity contracts, to the greatest extent feasible, and to make an interim report to the Governor and the Legislature on January 1, 2014, and a final report on January 1, 2015, containing certain information relative to motor vehicle procurement by the California State University. Existing law repeals these provisions as of July 1, 2015. This bill would exclude district agricultural associations from the definition of "state agency" for purposes of those provisions and would continue the operation of these provisions beyond July 1, 2015, except for the requirement on the Trustees of the California State University. (3) Existing law requires the Department of General Services to annually prepare a delegation program for district agricultural associations, to be administered by the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Department of General Services. Existing law also requires the Department of Food and Agriculture, for district agricultural associations and other fairs, to develop criteria to be applied for purchases made locally at a price equal to or lower than the price available through the state purchasing program. This bill would repeal those provisions. (4) Existing law requires each state agency to submit an annual report to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery summarizing its progress in reducing solid waste that is due on or before May 1 each year. This bill would exclude district agricultural associations from the definition of "state agency" for purposes of those provisions. (5) This bill would make conforming and nonsubstantive changes.