Pest control: registration fees., the official text

An act to amend Sections 11734, 11923, 12034, 15204, and 15204.5 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to pest control.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors of any county to establish reasonable fees for the registration of any person advertising, soliciting, or operating as a pest control business and limits the registration fee of certain pest control businesses to the amount necessary to cover the costs of registration, not to exceed $25.
This bill would raise the maximum total registration fee amount from $25 to $75 for a pest control business to register in its home county and to $50 to register in an additional county, as provided.
Existing law authorizes county boards of supervisors to set fees for registration to cover the cost of registering pest control aircraft pilots and pest control advisers, and limits those fees to no more than $10 per year for a pilot who registers in person in the county in which they intend to work and for an adviser who registers in person in the county listed in the adviser’s address on a specified license or the county of occupational choice, and no more than $5 per year for a pilot or adviser already registered in a county to register in an additional county, as provided.
This bill would raise the maximum total registration fee amount for a pest control aircraft pilot and pest control adviser to register in their home county and in an additional county, as specified.
Existing law requires certain licensed structural pest control operator qualifying managers and Structural Pest Control Board registered companies to register with the county agricultural commissioner before operating a structural pest control business in the county. Existing law authorizes county boards of supervisors to require a registration fee not to exceed the actual cost of processing the registration or $10, whichever is less.
This bill would raise the maximum total registration fee amount for a Structural Pest Control Board registered company to register in its home county and in an additional county, as specified.
Existing law prohibits certain licensed structural pest controller licensees, as provided, from conducting fumigations in any county unless that person has also registered for the current calendar year with the county agricultural commissioner in that county, as provided. Existing law requires the county boards of supervisors to set that registration fee and for that fee not to exceed the cost of processing the registration or $25, whichever is less. Existing law authorizes structural pest control operators and field representatives to be added during the year and limits the fee for adding those operators and field representatives to the actual cost of processing the registration or $10, whichever is less.
This bill would raise the maximum total registration fee amount for a Structural Pest Control Board registered company to register in its home county and in an additional county, as specified.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 11734 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:
11734.
The board of supervisors of any county may establish reasonable fees for the registration required under Section 11732. Payment of the fee shall be due by the date designated by the commissioner. However, registration fees for pest control businesses licensed pursuant to Section 11704 shall be that amount necessary to cover the costs of registration, but shall not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75) per year in its home county and fifty dollars ($50) per year for each additional county.

SEC. 2.
Section 11923 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:
11923.
(a) County boards of supervisors may set fees for registration to cover the cost of registering pest control aircraft pilots pursuant to Section 11920.
(b) For a pest control aircraft pilot who registers in their home county, the total amount of registration fees shall not exceed the following:
(1) Fifty-five dollars ($55) per year in calendar year 2027.
(2) Sixty-five dollars ($65) per year in calendar year 2028.
(3) Seventy-five dollars ($75) per year in calendar year 2029 and later.
(c) For a pest control aircraft pilot who is already registered pursuant to subdivision (b) and is registering in an additional county, the total amount of the registration fees for registering in the additional county shall not exceed the following:
(1) Ten dollars ($10) per year in calendar year 2027.
(2) Fifteen dollars ($15) per year in calendar year 2028.
(3) Twenty-five dollars ($25) per year in calendar year 2029 and later.

SEC. 3.
Section 12034 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:
12034.
(a) County boards of supervisors may set fees for registration to cover the cost of registering pest control advisers pursuant to Section 12031.
(b) For a pest control adviser who registers in their home county, the total amount of registration fees shall not exceed the following:
(1) Fifty-five dollars ($55) per year in calendar year 2027.
(2) Sixty-five dollars ($65) per year in calendar year 2028.
(3) Seventy-five dollars ($75) per year in calendar year 2029 and later.
(c) For a pest control adviser who is already registered pursuant to subdivision (b) and is registering in an additional county, the total amount of the registration fees for registering in the additional county shall not exceed the following:
(1) Ten dollars ($10) per year in calendar year 2027.
(2) Fifteen dollars ($15) per year in calendar year 2028.
(3) Twenty-five dollars ($25) per year in calendar year 2029 and later.

SEC. 4.
Section 15204 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:
15204.
(a) Each licensed Branch 2 and Branch 3 structural pest control operator qualifying manager, as defined in Section 8506.2 of the Business and Professions Code, and Structural Pest Control Board registered company, as defined in Section 8506.1 of the Business and Professions Code, shall register with the commissioner of a county before operating a structural pest control business in that county. The registration shall cover a calendar year. A fee may also be required at the time of registration. The fee shall be set by the county board of supervisors, except the fee shall not exceed the actual cost of processing the registration. Payment of the fee shall be due by the date designated by the commissioner.
(b) For a Structural Pest Control Board registered company that registers in its home county, the total amount of registration fees shall not exceed the following:
(1) Fifty-five dollars ($55) per year in calendar year 2027.
(2) Sixty-five dollars ($65) per year in calendar year 2028.
(3) Seventy-five dollars ($75) per year in calendar year 2029 and later.
(c) For a Structural Pest Control Board registered company that is already registered pursuant to subdivision (b) and is registering in an additional county, the total amount of the registration fees for registering in the additional county shall not exceed the following:
(1) Thirty dollars ($30) per year in calendar year 2027.
(2) Forty dollars ($40) per year in calendar year 2028.
(3) Fifty dollars ($50) per year in calendar year 2029 and later.
(d) Each registration shall be in a form prescribed by the director after consulting with the Structural Pest Control Board and commissioners and shall include the Structural Pest Control Board registered company’s name and address, including all branch offices conducting business in the county, telephone numbers, responsible persons, and the type of pest control to be conducted.
(e) The commissioner may levy a civil penalty against any person who violates this section, in accordance with the procedures provided in Section 12999.5.

SEC. 5.
Section 15204.5 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:
15204.5.
(a) A licensed Branch 1 Structural Pest Control licensee, including structural pest control operators, field representatives, applicators, and Structural Pest Control Board registered companies, as defined in Section 8506.1 of the Business and Professions Code, shall not conduct fumigations in any county unless that person or company is registered for the current calendar year with the commissioner in that county. The registration fee for the Structural Pest Control Board registered company, including structural pest control operators, field representatives, and applicators, shall be set by the county Board of Supervisors, but shall not exceed the cost of processing the registration. Payment of the fee shall be due at registration or on a date set by the commissioner.
(b) For a Structural Pest Control Board registered company that registers in its home county, the total amount of registration fees shall not exceed the following:
(1) Fifty-five dollars ($55) per year in calendar year 2027.
(2) Sixty-five dollars ($65) per year in calendar year 2028.
(3) Seventy-five dollars ($75) per year in calendar year 2029 and later.
(c) For a Structural Pest Control Board registered company that is already registered pursuant to subdivision (b) and is registering in an additional county, the total amount of the registration fees for registering in the additional county shall not exceed the following:
(1) Thirty dollars ($30) per year in calendar year 2027.
(2) Forty dollars ($40) per year in calendar year 2028.
(3) Fifty dollars ($50) per year in calendar year 2029 and later.
(d) Each registration shall be in the form prescribed by the director after consulting with the Structural Pest Control Board and the commissioners and shall include the name and address of the Structural Pest Control Board registered company or structural pest control operator and all branch locations conducting business in the county, the name of the qualifying manager or the structural pest control operator and their license number, and a business telephone number. The registration form for field representatives and applicators shall include their name, license number, business address, and telephone number, and may be included with the business registration.
(e) Each Structural Pest Control Board registered company or structural pest control operator that intends to conduct fumigation operations shall notify the agricultural commissioner at least 24 hours before commencing fumigation, or as approved on a case-by-case basis by the commissioner. This notice shall include all of the following:
(1) Name and address of the registered company or structural pest control operator.
(2) Address of the area or areas to be fumigated.
(3) The pesticide to be applied.
(4) The date of the intended application.
(f) The commissioner may levy a civil penalty against any person who violates this section, in accordance with the procedures provided in Section 12999.5.