Bill > HB352

This bill modifies Alabama's existing law regarding cotton producer assessments by making several key changes. The bill alters the referendum process for levying assessments on cotton sales, removing some specific language about voter eligibility and simplifying the voting requirements. Most significantly, the bill increases the maximum allowable assessment from one dollar to one dollar and thirty cents per bale of cotton. The legislation clarifies that cotton producers from the previous crop year may participate in the referendum, and requires the certified commission to tabulate and announce referendum results within 30 days. The assessment amount will now be determined annually by the commission, with a new maximum limit of $1.30 per bale. The bill is scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2025, providing cotton producers and agricultural authorities time to prepare for the updated assessment rules.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

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