Poultry health advisory committee: regulations to control or eradicate poultry diseases.

(1) Existing law requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to periodically publish and make available a list of reportable conditions that pose or may pose significant threats to public health, animal health, the environment, or the food supply. Existing law, the California Meat and Poultry Inspection Act, requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to provide for the inspection and regulation of livestock and poultry products. The act provides that any person that violates these provisions is subject to civil penalties, as specified. Existing law, the California Meat and Poultry Supplemental Inspection Act, also authorizes the secretary to adopt, by regulation, standards and requirements relating to inspection, sanitation, facilities, equipment, reinspection, preparation, processing, buying, selling, and transporting, among other acts, of livestock and poultry. This bill would require the secretary to appoint, and to consult with, a poultry health advisory committee, as described, for purposes of advising the secretary on the control and management of poultry diseases and evaluating the effectiveness of programs established pursuant to these provisions. The bill would authorize the secretary to adopt regulations to control or eradicate poultry diseases by requiring, among other things, permits before entry of, and limitations on the importation of, poultry and other animals or materials that might act as a cause or a vector of a disease or condition that is infectious or contagious to poultry. The bill would provide that a person who willfully and knowingly violates any regulation adopted pursuant to these provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor. The bill would authorize the secretary, at the secretary's discretion, to prosecute civilly or seek civil penalties, as provided. The bill would expressly require that nothing in its provisions shall be construed to limit or restrict the State Veterinarian's quarantine powers. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.