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SB 2122 — State Government Operations
by Budget Committee
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Budget Committee (BC)
This bill provides for the following:
- Within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS), consolidates the Division of Dairy Industry within the Division of Food Safety.
- Transfers authority for the regulation and enforcement of the state Lemon Law and the price gouging program entirely to the Department of Legal Affairs.
- Renames the Division of Forestry within the DACS as the Florida Forest Service.
- Reduces the membership of the Citrus Commission from twelve members to nine, reduces the number of citrus districts from four to three, and reassigns counties to those three districts.
- Provides that the Executive Director of the Department of Citrus be appointed by a majority vote of the commission and serve a four-year term, except for the initial term, which expires on June 30, 2011, and shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate in the legislative session following appointment.
- Imposes limits on the tax per box of grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines. The tax on grapefruit, tangerines, and fresh oranges is capped at the rate in effect on May 1, 2011, and the tax rate on oranges in processed form cannot exceed 25 cents per box.
- Requires employees of the Department of Citrus to work a five-day, 40-hour work week, except when on approved leave.
The consolidation of the Division of Dairy Industry into the Division of Food Safety provides a recurring cost savings of $239,496 in general revenue. The elimination of activities by the Division of Consumer Services relating to the Lemon Law and the price gouging program provides a recurring cost savings to the General Inspection Trust Fund within the DACS of $386,415.
If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect upon becoming a law.
Vote: Senate 37-0; House 118-0