Senate Bill sb1926er

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    2002 Legislature                                CS for SB 1926



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  2         An act relating to citrus canker; amending s.

  3         581.184, F.S.; revising the definition of

  4         citrus trees that are exposed to infection from

  5         the citrus canker bacteria; providing for the

  6         removal and destruction of infected citrus

  7         trees and citrus trees exposed to infection;

  8         providing for notice of removal by immediate

  9         final order; providing requirements for an

10         immediate final order; requiring certain

11         information to be provided to a property owner;

12         deleting certain duties of the Department of

13         Agriculture and Consumer Services; authorizing

14         chief law enforcement officers to perform

15         certain duties; amending s. 933.02, F.S.;

16         providing grounds for issuance of search

17         warrants relating to the spread of citrus

18         canker; amending s. 933.07, F.S.; authorizing

19         the department to obtain a search warrant and

20         requiring a court proceeding prior to the

21         issuance of such search warrant; providing for

22         repeal and review of s. 581.184(1)(b), F.S.,

23         relating to definition of the term "exposed to

24         infection"; providing effective dates.

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26  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

27

28         Section 1.  Section 581.184, Florida Statutes, is

29  amended to read:

30         581.184  Adoption of rules; citrus canker eradication;

31  voluntary destruction agreements; buffer zone.--


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  1         (1)  As used in this section, the term:

  2         (a)  "Infected or infested" means citrus trees

  3  harboring the citrus canker bacteria and exhibiting visible

  4  symptoms of the disease.

  5         (b)  "Exposed to infection" means citrus trees located

  6  within 1,900 feet of an infected tree harboring the citrus

  7  canker bacteria due to their proximity to infected citrus

  8  trees, and which do not yet exhibit visible symptoms of the

  9  disease but which will develop symptoms over time, at which

10  point such trees will have infected other citrus trees.

11         (2)  The department shall remove and destroy all

12  infected citrus trees and all citrus trees exposed to

13  infection. Notice of the removal of such trees, by immediate

14  final order, may be provided to the owner of the property on

15  which such trees are located. An immediate final order issued

16  by the department pursuant to this section shall notify the

17  property owner that the citrus trees that are the subject of

18  the immediate final order will be removed and destroyed unless

19  the property owner, no later than 10 days after delivery of

20  the immediate final order pursuant to subsection (3), requests

21  and obtains a stay of the immediate final order from the

22  district court of appeal with jurisdiction to review such

23  requests. The property owner shall not be required to seek a

24  stay of the immediate final order by the department prior to

25  seeking the stay from the district court of appeal.

26         (3)  Any immediate final order issued by the department

27  pursuant to this section:

28         (a)  May be delivered in person, by certified mail, or

29  by attaching the order to a conspicuous place on the property

30  on which a citrus tree to be removed is located.

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  1         (b)  Is not required to be adopted by the department as

  2  a rule.

  3         (4)  Simultaneously with the delivery of an immediate

  4  final order, the department shall also provide the following

  5  information to a property owner:

  6         (a)  The physical location of the infected tree which

  7  has necessitated removal and destruction of the property

  8  owner's tree.

  9         (b)  The diagnostic report that resulted in the

10  determination that the infected tree is infected with the

11  citrus canker.

12         (c)  The distance between the infected citrus tree and

13  a property owner's exposed citrus trees.

14         (5)(2)  In addition to the powers and duties set forth

15  under this chapter, the department is directed to adopt rules

16  specifying facts and circumstances that, if present, would

17  require the destruction of plants for purposes of eradicating,

18  controlling, or preventing the dissemination of citrus canker

19  disease in the state.  In addition, The department is directed

20  to adopt rules regarding the conditions under which citrus

21  plants, other than those that are infected or exposed to

22  infection, can be grown, moved, and planted in this state as

23  may be necessary for the eradication, control, or prevention

24  of the dissemination of citrus canker. Such rules shall be in

25  effect for any period during which, in the judgment of the

26  Commissioner of Agriculture, there is the threat of the spread

27  of citrus canker disease in the state.  Such rules may provide

28  for the conduct of any activity regulated by such rules

29  subject to an agreement by persons wishing to engage in such

30  activity to voluntarily destroy, at their own expense, citrus

31  plants declared by the department to be imminently dangerous


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  1  by reason of being infected or infested with citrus canker or

  2  exposed to infection and likely to communicate same.  The

  3  terms of such agreement may also require the destruction of

  4  healthy plants under specified conditions.  Any such

  5  destruction shall be done after reasonable notice in a manner

  6  pursuant to and under conditions set forth in the agreement.

  7  Such agreements may include releases and waivers of liability

  8  and may require the agreement of other persons.

  9         (3)  The department, pursuant to s. 581.031(15) and

10  (17), may create a citrus canker host-free buffer area,

11  delineated by department rule, to retard the spread of citrus

12  canker from known infected areas.  In addition, the department

13  shall develop a compensation plan for the trees removed from

14  the buffer area. Compensation for the trees removed from the

15  buffer area is subject to annual legislative appropriation.

16         (6)(4)  The department shall develop by rule, pursuant

17  to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54, a statewide program of

18  decontamination to prevent and limit the spread of citrus

19  canker disease. Such program shall address the application of

20  decontamination procedures and practices to all citrus plants

21  and plant products, vehicles, equipment, machinery, tools,

22  objects, and persons who could in any way spread or aid in the

23  spreading of citrus canker in this state. In order to prevent

24  contamination of soil and water, such rules shall be developed

25  in consultation with the Department of Environmental

26  Protection. The department may develop compliance and other

27  agreements which it determines can aid in the carrying out of

28  the purposes of this section, and enter into such agreements

29  with any person or entity.

30         (7)(5)  Owners and/or operators of nonproduction

31  vehicles and equipment shall follow the department guidelines


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  1  for citrus canker decontamination effective June 15, 2000.

  2  The department shall publish the guidelines in the Florida

  3  Administrative Weekly and on the department Internet website.

  4  The guidelines shall be posted no later than May 15, 2000.

  5         (8)(6)  Notwithstanding any provision of law, the

  6  Department of Environmental Protection is not authorized to

  7  institute proceedings against any person under the provisions

  8  of s. 376.307(5) to recover any costs or damages associated

  9  with contamination of soil or water, or the evaluation,

10  assessment, or remediation of contamination of soil or water,

11  including sampling, analysis, and restoration of soil or

12  potable water supplies, where the contamination of soil or

13  water is determined to be the result of a program of

14  decontamination to prevent and limit the spread of citrus

15  canker disease pursuant to rules developed under this section.

16  This subsection does not limit regulatory authority under a

17  federally delegated or approved program.

18         (9)(7)  Upon request of the department, the sheriff or

19  chief law enforcement officer of each county in the state

20  shall provide assistance in obtaining access to private

21  property for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this

22  section. The sheriff or chief law enforcement officer shall be

23  responsible for maintaining public order during the

24  eradication process and protecting the safety of department

25  employees, representatives, and agents charged with

26  implementing and enforcing the provisions of this section. The

27  department may reimburse the sheriff or chief law enforcement

28  officer for the reasonable costs of implementing the

29  provisions of this subsection.

30         (10)(8)  Posting of an order on the property on which

31  citrus trees are to be cut pursuant to the citrus canker


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  1  eradication program shall meet the notice requirement of s.

  2  120.569(1).

  3         Section 2.  Section 933.02, Florida Statutes, is

  4  amended to read:

  5         933.02  Grounds for issuance of search warrant.--Upon

  6  proper affidavits being made, a search warrant may be issued

  7  under the provisions of this chapter upon any of the following

  8  grounds:

  9         (1)  When the property shall have been stolen or

10  embezzled in violation of law;

11         (2)  When any property shall have been used:

12         (a)  As a means to commit any crime,

13         (b)  In connection with gambling, gambling implements

14  and appliances, or

15         (c)  In violation of s. 847.011 or other laws in

16  reference to obscene prints and literature;

17         (3)  When any property constitutes evidence relevant to

18  proving that a felony has been committed;

19         (4)  When any property is being held or possessed:

20         (a)  In violation of any of the laws prohibiting the

21  manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors,

22  or

23         (b)  In violation of the fish and game laws, or

24         (c)  In violation of the laws relative to food and

25  drug, or;

26         (d)  In violation of a quarantine for citrus canker

27  pursuant to s. 581.184, or

28         (e)  Which may be inspected, treated, seized, or

29  destroyed pursuant to s. 581.184; or

30         (5)  When the laws in relation to cruelty to animals

31  have been or are violated in any particular building or place,


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  1  but no search shall be made in such building or place after

  2  sunset, unless specially authorized by the officer issuing the

  3  warrant upon satisfactory cause shown; in which case such

  4  property may be taken on the warrant so issued from any house

  5  or place in which it is concealed, or from any vehicle,

  6  aircraft, or watercraft in which it may be found, or from the

  7  possession of any person by whom it shall have been used in

  8  the commission of any offense or from any person in whose

  9  possession it may be.

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11  The provisions of this section shall apply also to any papers

12  or documents used as a means of or in aid of the commission of

13  any offense against the laws of the state.

14         Section 3.  Section 933.07, Florida Statutes, is

15  amended to read:

16         933.07  Issuance of search warrants.--

17         (1)  The judge, upon examination of the application and

18  proofs submitted, if satisfied that probable cause exists for

19  the issuing of the search warrant, shall thereupon issue a

20  search warrant signed by him or her with his or her name of

21  office, to any sheriff and the sheriff's deputies or any

22  police officer or other person authorized by law to execute

23  process, commanding the officer or person forthwith to search

24  the property described in the warrant or the person named, for

25  the property specified, and to bring the property and any

26  person arrested in connection therewith before the magistrate

27  or some other court having jurisdiction of the offense.

28         (2)  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this

29  chapter, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services,

30  based on grounds specified in s. 933.02(4)(d) or (e), may

31  obtain a search warrant authorized by this chapter for an area


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  1  in size up to and including the full extent of the county in

  2  which the search warrant is issued. The judge issuing such

  3  search warrant shall conduct a court proceeding prior to the

  4  issuance of such search warrant upon reasonable notice and

  5  shall receive, hear, and determine any objections by property

  6  owners to the issuance of such search warrant. Such search

  7  warrant may be served by employees or authorized contractors

  8  of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Such

  9  search warrant may be made returnable at any time up to 6

10  months from the date of issuance.

11         Section 4.  Effective July 1, 2005, section

12  581.184(1)(b), Florida Statutes, is repealed and shall be

13  reviewed by the Legislature prior to that date.

14         Section 5.  Except as otherwise provided in this act,

15  this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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