RELATING TO AGRICULTURE; PROVIDING FOR ELECTION OF COTTON BOLL WEEVIL CONTROL COMMITTEES BY A MAJORITY OF THOSE PRODUCERS VOTING IN A DISTRICT; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 76-6A-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1996, Chapter 77, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

"76-6A-3. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Cotton Boll Weevil Control Act:

A. "board" means the board of regents of New Mexico state university;

B. "cotton boll weevil" means any life stage of the cotton insect Anthonomus grandis Boheman;

C. "cotton boll weevil control committee" means the persons, not less than three nor more than seven, elected by a majority of the cotton producers voting in a designated cotton boll weevil control district;

D. "cotton boll weevil control district" means a designated area duly established under the Cotton Boll Weevil Control Act wherein a program to suppress or eradicate the cotton boll weevil is administered;

E. "cotton producer" means any person growing five or more acres of cotton plants. For the purposes of the Cotton Boll Weevil Control Act, only one person from any farm, sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership or any other legal business arrangement shall be eligible to vote to establish or dissolve a cotton boll weevil control district;

F. "department" means the New Mexico department of agriculture;

G. "director" means the director of the New Mexico department of agriculture; and

H. "organic cotton producer" means any person growing cotton who is certified by the organic commodity commission as a producer of organic or transitional cotton."

Section 2. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.

HB 269

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