Quality Assurance Laboratory Program — Mandatory Assessment Referendum Authority

TITLE 22 AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE CHAPTER 1 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 22-109. Quality assurance laboratory program — Mandatory assessment referendum authority. (1) In addition to the authority of commodity commissions to levy assessments and conduct referendums, if the department of agriculture receives a petition requesting a referendum signed by ten per cent (10%) or more Idaho producers of a particular commodity or if the department of agriculture receives a written request for a referendum from a commodity commission, the department of agriculture may provide for a referendum by a commodity to determine if a mandatory assessment should be levied on the commodity producer group for the specific quality assurance laboratory program purposes identified in the referendum. No assessment shall become effective unless the same shall first be referred on a referendum mail ballot to producers of that commodity in this state and is approved by a majority of the producers voting in the referendum. (2)  All moneys derived from the assessment and collected by a commodity commission shall be deposited in one (1) or more separate accounts in the name of the commission in one (1) or more banks or trust companies approved under chapter 27, title 67 , Idaho Code, as state depositories. The commission shall designate such banks or trust companies. All funds so deposited are hereby continuously appropriated for the specific purposes identified in the referendum. (3)  All moneys derived from the assessment and collected by the department of agriculture shall be deposited with the state treasurer and be credited to the agriculture department inspection account. All funds so deposited are hereby continuously appropriated for the specific purposes identified in the referendum. (4)  The department of agriculture shall be reimbursed for the costs of the referendum by moneys derived from the assessment. (5)  The director of the department of agriculture shall have the authority to implement the provisions of any approved referendum and may promulgate rules necessary for carrying out the purposes of this section.