Bill > AB312

This bill modifies existing California law regarding the handling of agricultural commodities suspected of being illegally possessed. Currently, when a county agricultural commissioner, the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, or a peace officer has reasonable belief that an agricultural commodity is unlawfully possessed, they can seize and hold the commodity. Under the existing law, if the commodity is not returned to its rightful owner, the commissioner can sell it and must hold the proceeds for at least 6 months, during which time the owner can prove ownership and claim the money. The bill reduces this holding period from 6 months to 3 months, meaning that if no owner comes forward with proof of ownership within 3 months, the proceeds will be deposited into the county's general fund. The bill also makes some minor grammatical adjustments to the existing law, such as changing "any" to "a" in certain contexts. These changes aim to streamline the process of handling potentially stolen agricultural commodities while still providing a reasonable window for owners to reclaim their property or its monetary value.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB312