Senate Bill 1996c1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for SB 1996
By the Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Services; and
Senators Cowin and Bronson
303-2192-99
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the harvesting of saw
3 palmetto berries; creating the Saw Palmetto
4 Berry Study Committee within the Department of
5 Agriculture and Consumer Services; providing
6 for membership of the committee; providing for
7 terms of office; authorizing the reimbursement
8 of committee members for expenses incurred in
9 performing their duties; requiring that the
10 department provide assistance to the committee;
11 providing duties of the committee; requiring
12 the committee to report to the Legislature and
13 the Commissioner of Agriculture; providing for
14 expiration of the committee; providing an
15 effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Saw Palmetto Berry Study Committee.--The
20 Legislature recognizes the value of the saw palmetto berry to
21 this state as a naturally renewable agricultural product that
22 is important to the economy of the state. The Legislature
23 therefore supports and seeks to foster the saw palmetto berry
24 industry in this state.
25 (1) There is created the Saw Palmetto Berry Study
26 Committee within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
27 Services. The committee shall be composed of nine members who
28 shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture, as
29 follows:
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1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for SB 1996
303-2192-99
1 (a) Three members who are landowners, or who represent
2 landowners, who own land where saw palmetto berry is
3 harvested.
4 (b) Three members who actively engage in harvesting or
5 transporting saw palmetto berry, or who represent persons who
6 actively engage in harvesting or transporting saw palmetto
7 berry.
8 (c) Three members who actively engage in processing
9 saw palmetto berry for resale, or who represent persons who
10 actively engage in processing saw palmetto berry for resale.
11 (2) Committee members shall be appointed to serve
12 until February 1, 2000. The members of the committee shall
13 serve without compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement
14 for all necessary expenses incurred in performing their
15 duties, including travel expenses, in accordance with section
16 112.061, Florida Statutes.
17 (3) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer
18 Services shall supply the information, assistance, and
19 facilities that are necessary for the committee to carry out
20 its duties under this section, and shall provide the staff
21 assistance necessary to perform the required clerical and
22 administrative functions of the committee.
23 (4) The committee shall analyze those issues and
24 potential solutions that involve the proper harvesting,
25 transporting, processing, and resale of saw palmetto berry,
26 including:
27 (a) Preventing the theft of saw palmetto berry from
28 landowners through the enforcement of laws and the
29 documentation of the origin of harvested saw palmetto berry.
30 (b) Requiring the licensing of dealers of saw palmetto
31 berry.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 CS for SB 1996
303-2192-99
1 (c) Identifying the services needed by persons who
2 engage in harvesting saw palmetto berry.
3 (d) Marketing the saw palmetto berry as a naturally
4 renewable agriculture product that is important to the economy
5 of the state.
6 (5) The committee shall be governed by section
7 570.0705, Florida Statutes.
8 (6)(a) By February 1, 2000, the committee shall
9 prepare a report of its findings and conclusions and shall
10 submit the report to the President of the Senate, the Speaker
11 of the House of Representatives, and the Commissioner of
12 Agriculture.
13 (b) The committee shall include within its report
14 recommended rules by the department and any needed legislation
15 to be considered during the 2000 Regular Session of the
16 Legislature.
17 (7) This section expires February 1, 2000.
18 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
19 law.
20
21 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
22 Senate Bill 1996
23
24 Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1996 is different from
Senate Bill 1996 in that it:
25
- Creates the Saw Palmetto Berry Study Committee.
26
- Provides for the committee's membership and duties.
27
- Directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
28 Services to provide the committee with the necessary
information, assistance and facilities so that the
29 committee may carry out their duties.
30 - Changes the effective date of the bill to take effect
upon becoming a law.
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