HOUSE BILL REPORT

                     ESB 6027

                              As Passed House

                               March 3, 1992

Title:  An act relating to horticultural nurseries.

Brief Description:  Funding horticultural nursery research.

Sponsor(s):  Senators Barr, Gaspard, Sellar, Bauer, Conner, Rasmussen, Bailey and Jesernig.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Agriculture & Rural Development, February 20, 1992, DP;

Passed House, March 3, 1992, 96-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

AGRICULTURE & RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Rayburn, Chair; Kremen, Vice Chair; Nealey, Ranking Minority Member; P. Johnson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chandler; R. Johnson; Lisk; McLean; Rasmussen; and Roland.

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:  The state's horticultural nursery dealer laws require nursery dealers to be licensed.  The fee schedule is established by the director of the Department of Agriculture by rule and is to be based on the total value of a dealer's sales of horticultural plants.  Cut flowers and vegetable plants are not considered to be horticultural plants for the purposes of the licensing laws.  The schedule must establish a different licensing fee for retail dealers whose gross sales of horticultural plants total less than $2,500 than the fee for retail dealers with greater sales.  Licensing fees are deposited in the agricultural local fund and may be used only for the purposes of the nursery dealer laws.  In administering the nursery dealer laws, the director is advised by a nursery advisory committee established by statute.

Summary of Bill:  The director of the Department of Agriculture may, with the advice of the nursery advisory committee, establish by rule a surcharge on nursery dealer license fees.  The annual surcharge on a license may not exceed 20 percent times the amount of the license fee without the surcharge.  It is to be paid at the same time that the license fee is paid.  Revenues from the surcharge must be deposited in the agricultural local fund and may be used solely to support research projects which are:  of general benefit to the horticultural nursery industry, and recommended by the nursery advisory committee.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill takes effect July 1, 1992.

Testimony For:  The bill as passed by the Senate incorporates the changes made by the House to the companion bill.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Bruce Briggs, Washington State Nursery Dealer and Landscape Association (in favor).