SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5659

               As Passed Senate, March 12, 1997

Title:  An act relating to the beef commission.

Brief Description:  Regulating the beef commission.

Sponsors:  Senator Morton.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Agriculture & Environment:  2/20/97 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/12/97, 45-1.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Morton, Chair; Swecker, Vice Chair; Fraser, McAuliffe, Newhouse, Oke and Rasmussen.

Staff:  Bob Lee (786-7404)

Background:  The Washington State Beef Commission currently has five members; one beef producer, one dairy producer, one livestock feeder, one livestock sales yard operator, and one meat packer.  One additional member from the Department of Agriculture serves as an ex officio member.  Appointments are made by the director of the Department of Agriculture who is to take into consideration nominations made by the industry segment who the appointee is to represent.

Summary of Bill:  The number of appointed members on the Washington State Beef Commission is increased from five to eight members.  One additional member is appointed from the following industry segments:  beef, dairy and livestock feeders.

The member that is elected to serve as chair of the commission is a nonvoting member.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The Beef Commission does an important job especially when the beef market is on a down cycle.  There are a lot of responsibilities on the current board members and expanding the number of members will allow spreading of the workloads to additional people.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Patty Brumback, Washington State Beef Commission; Karla Fullerton, WA Cattlemen=s Association; Mike Schwisow, Washington Cattle Feeders Association.

House Amendment(s):  Rather than having the chair of an eight-member commission be a nonvoting member, the House amendment provides that the chair may cast a vote only to break a tie vote.