Upon a finding by a two-thirds vote of the commission that the operation of this chapter has not tended to effectuate its declared purposes, the commission may recommend to the director that the operation of this chapter be suspended. However, any suspension shall not become effective until the expiration of the current marketing season. The director shall, upon receipt of the recommendation, or may after a public hearing to review a petition filed with him or her requesting a suspension and signed by 20 percent of the producers by number who produced not less than 20 percent of the volume of wool in the immediately preceding season, hold a referendum among the producers to determine if the operations of the commission shall be suspended. However, the director shall not hold a referendum as a result of the petition unless the petitioner shows, by the weight of evidence, that the operation of this chapter has not tended to effectuate its declared purposes. The director shall establish a referendum period, which shall not be less than 10 days nor more than 60 days in duration. The director may prescribe additional procedures as may be necessary to conduct the referendum. At the close of the established referendum period, the director shall tabulate the ballots filed during the period. If at least 40 percent of the total number of producers from the list established by the director participate in the referendum, the director shall suspend the operation of this chapter if he or she finds either one of the following has occured:
(a) Sixty-five percent or more of the producers, who voted in the referendum, voted in favor of suspension, and the producers so voting marketed 50 percent or more of the total quantity of wool marketed in the preceding marketing season by all of the producers who voted in the referendum.
(b) A majority of the producers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of suspension, and the producers so voting marketed 65 percent or more of the total quantity of wool marketed in the preceding marketing season by all of the producers who voted in the referendum.
(Added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1102, Sec. 1.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018