BILL NUMBER: SJR 38	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER   165
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 20, 2000
	ADOPTED IN SENATE   AUGUST 31, 2000
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 31, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 30, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Costa
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Ashburn)
   (Coauthors: Senators Kelley, O'Connell, and Poochigian)

                        AUGUST 21, 2000

   Senate Joint Resolution No. 38--Relative to importation of
Argentine citrus.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SJR 38, Costa.  Importation of Argentine citrus.
   This measure would memorialize the federal government to approve
legislation that would prohibit implementation of a rule permitting
importation of citrus from specified regions of Argentina, pending
review and risk assessment.




   WHEREAS, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
announced in the Federal Register on June 15, 2000, a final rule
authorizing the importation of citrus from disease and pest infested
regions of Argentina into the United States; and
   WHEREAS, The California citrus industry represents over
$1,400,000,000 in farm gate value and employs approximately 20,000
people; and
   WHEREAS, International trade is vital to California agriculture
with more than 20 percent of all commodities produced in the state
exported worldwide; and
   WHEREAS, The Department of Food and Agriculture has expressed
serious reservation about the rule in public hearings and written
communication to USDA because of several scientific concerns; and
   WHEREAS, The State of California and the federal government will
spend nearly $50 million to eradicate two imported pests, the fire
ant and the glassy-winged sharpshooter in this fiscal year; and
   WHEREAS, The State of Florida has spent in excess of $125 million
to control the spread of citrus canker, a disease not found in
California but present in Argentina citrus growing regions; and
   WHEREAS, The USDA implemented a rule issued in docket number
97-110 at 65 Federal Register 37608-37669, regarding importation of
citrus from specified regions of Argentina; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of California,
jointly, That the Legislature respectfully memorializes its support
for an amendment to the Agricultural Appropriations bill that
requires the USDA to complete an independent peer review of the rule
and a risk assessment underlying the rule; and be it further
   Resolved, That the USDA complete the review by May 1, 2001; and be
it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each
Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the
United States.