Introduced by Assembly Member Megan Dahle
AB 1141, as amended, Megan Dahle. Agricultural lands: agricultural and livestock producers: agricultural pass program: disaster access to farm lands.
Existing law authorizes, upon the approval of a county board of supervisors, a county agricultural commissioner, or other designated agency, to establish within the county a livestock pass program for the purpose of issuing identification documents granting any qualifying livestock producer or a managerial employee of the qualifying livestock producer, access to the qualifying livestock producer’s ranch property, or to the ranch property owned by another holder of a livestock pass with permission, during or following a flood, storm, fire, earthquake, or other disaster, as provided. Existing law provides that access to specified areas may only be granted by the incident commander, a law enforcement official having jurisdiction, or their designee and that when access is granted by emergency response personnel other than the incident commander, the emergency response personnel shall notify incident command when they grant the livestock passholder access to the ranch property during a disaster. Existing law requires, on or before January 1, 2023, the State Fire Marshal, with the involvement of the Statewide Training and Education Advisory Committee, to develop a curriculum for livestock producers eligible for this livestock pass program.
This bill would change the name of the “livestock pass program” to the “agricultural pass program” and make conforming changes. The bill would also make the agricultural pass program applicable to qualified agricultural producers, as defined. The bill would instead require the curriculum to be developed by July 1, 2024. To the extent this bill would impose additional duties on a county board of supervisors in approving agricultural passes for qualified agricultural producers, the bill would impose a state-mandated program.
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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.