MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2001 Regular Session

To: Agriculture

By: Representative Ellzey

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 69-37-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT AFTER THE PASSAGE OF ANY REFERENDUM UNDER THE BOLL WEEVIL MANAGEMENT ACT, THE ELIGIBLE VOTERS, BY SUBSEQUENT REFERENDA HELD EVERY TEN YEARS INSTEAD OF EVERY FIVE YEARS, MAY VOTE ON WHETHER TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRAM OR MODIFY THE ASSESSMENT FEE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 69-37-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

69-37-21. (1) In the event any referendum conducted under this act fails to receive the required number of affirmative votes, the bureau, with the consent of the Certified Cotton Growers Organization, may be authorized to call other referenda.

(2) After the passage of any referendum, the eligible voters shall be allowed, by subsequent referenda to be held at least every ten (10) years or upon recommendation of the certified growers committee, to vote on whether to continue with the program and/or to modify the assessment fee. Upon petition by twenty percent (20%) of the voting cotton growers within a designated region, the Certified Cotton Growers Organization shall be required to conduct a subsequent referendum on the question called in the petition, provided that the Certified Cotton Growers Organization is required to hold no more than one (1) petitioned referendum for each designated management region during any given calendar year. All the requirements for an initial referendum must be met in any subsequent referenda.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2001.