House Bill 689

AN ACT TO CERTIFY THE MISSISSIPPI BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION BY THE BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY AS THE ADMINISTERING AUTHORITY TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN THIS STATE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS SHALL BE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE MISSISSIPPI BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 69-37-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BOLL WEEVIL SUPPRESSION, PRE-ERADICATION AND ERADICATION PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THOSE PROGRAMS; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS AS USED IN THIS ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 69-37-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW THE CORPORATION, UPON CERTIFICATION BY THE BUREAU, TO ENTER INTO CERTAIN AGREEMENTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF CARRYING OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO SPECIFY THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO BE MET BY THE BOARD FOR CERTIFICATION BY THE BUREAU; TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMPOSITION OF THE ADVISORY BOARD; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE CORPORATION SHALL BE CERTIFIED AS THE OFFICIAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGULATORY BODY FOR ALL MISSISSIPPI COTTON GROWERS UPON A DETERMINATION BY THE BUREAU THAT ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION HAVE BEEN MET; TO PROVIDE THAT THE BUREAU MAY REVOKE THE CERTIFICATION OF THE CORPORATION IF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT MET; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT VOTES IN A STATEWIDE REFERENDUM AMONG MISSISSIPPI COTTON GROWERS ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER AN ASSESSMENT SHALL BE LEVIED ON ALL COTTON PRODUCERS TO OFFSET CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS BE COUNTED ON A REGIONAL BASIS; TO REQUIRE THE BUREAU, AT THE REQUEST OF THE CORPORATION, TO AUTHORIZE A STATEWIDE REFERENDUM AMONG ALL MISSISSIPPI COTTON GROWERS ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER AN ASSESSMENT SHALL BE LEVIED ON ALL COTTON GROWERS TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF MANAGING BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS; TO REQUIRE THE VOTES IN THAT REFERENDUM TO BE COUNTED ON A REGIONAL BASIS, AS THOSE REGIONS EXISTED BEFORE JULY 1, 2010; TO REQUIRE ALL COTTON GROWERS HAVING MEMBERSHIP IN A LOCAL COTTON GROWERS ASSOCIATION TO BE ENTITLED TO VOTE IN THE REFERENDUM; TO PROVIDE THAT COTTON GROWERS MUST GROW COTTON IN THIS STATE AND BE A MEMBER OF A LOCAL COTTON GROWERS ASSOCIATION IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN ELECTIONS AND REFERENDA CONCERNING BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES; TO REQUIRE THAT AT LEAST TWENTY PERCENT OF THE REGISTERED COTTON GROWERS IN EACH REGION, AS THOSE REGIONS EXISTED BEFORE JULY 1, 2010, MUST VOTE IN THE REFERENDUM AND THAT A MAJORITY OF THOSE VOTING STATEWIDE APPROVE THE REFERENDUM FOR PASSAGE OF THE REFERENDUM ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL; TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION TRUST FUND AND PROVIDE FOR ITS FUNDING AND DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS; TO REQUIRE THAT ANY UNUSED FUNDS REMAINING AT THE COMPLETION OR TERMINATION OF A PROGRAM BE TRANSFERRED AND DEPOSITED INTO THE BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT FUND FOR THE PURPOSE OF BEING USED IF THERE SHOULD BE A FUTURE OCCURRENCE OF A BOLL WEEVIL OUTBREAK IN THE STATE; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THAT ANY RECOMMENDATION BY THE CORPORATION TO MODIFY THE ASSESSMENT FEE LEVIED UPON COTTON GROWERS BE SUBMITTED TO AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE BEFORE THE REFERENDUM IS HELD; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 69-37-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-27, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT COTTON GROWERS IN CERTAIN REGIONS APPROVE BY REFERENDUM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTAIN BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-29, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE EXEMPTION FROM COMPLIANCE WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE BUREAU AND THE CORPORATION PROVIDED TO CERTAIN REGIONS NOT APPROVING PARTICIPATION IN ANY BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THROUGH REFERENDA; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 69-37-33, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO AMEND SECTIONS 69-37-35, 69-37-37 AND 69-37-39, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

In the House of Representatives

• Greg Ward

  Sponsor

• Senate committee amendmentAdopted

  Adopted Mar 3

l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.

In the House of Representatives Jan 13 – Feb 4

1. Jan 13Referred to the House committee on Agriculture
2. Jan 26Reported from committee in the House: title sufficient, do pass as a committee substitute
3. Feb 4Committee substitute adopted in the House
4. Passed the House

In the Senate Feb 8 – Mar 3

1. Feb 8Sent to the Senate
2. Referred to the Senate committee on Agriculture
3. Mar 2Reported from committee in the Senate: title sufficient, do pass as amended
4. Mar 3Amended in the Senate
5. Passed the Senate as amended

Back in the House of Representatives Mar 4 – Mar 27

1. Mar 4Returned to the House to concur in the Senate's amendments
2. Mar 11Declined in the House to concur, and invited a conference
3. Mar 16Conferees named in the House: Ward, Gardner and Sullivan
4. Mar 27Died on the calendar in the House