Section 10610.

(a) The Secretary of the Department of Food and Agriculture may adopt regulations to control or eradicate cattle diseases, including bovine trichomoniasis, in any of the following ways:

(1) Requiring permits before entry of, and limitations on the importation of, cattle and other animals or materials that might act as a cause or a vector of a disease or condition that is infectious or contagious to cattle.

(2) Limitations on the intrastate or interstate movement of cattle, in compliance with any applicable federal law.

(3) Diagnostic tests, vaccinations, treatments, or other appropriate methods, including, but not limited to, the mandated reporting by designated parties of diseases or suspected diseases.

(4) Notification of owners of cattle that have been exposed, or may have been exposed, to infectious animals or materials.

(5) Similar means that the secretary finds and determines are necessary.

(b) (1) The secretary shall appoint an advisory task force, including, but not limited to, livestock industry representatives and university researchers, for the purposes of advising the secretary on the control and management of cattle health diseases and evaluating the effectiveness of programs established pursuant to this chapter. The secretary shall consult with the advisory task force prior to the adoption of regulations or the imposition of fees by the secretary.

(2) Members of the advisory task force, or alternate members when acting as members, may be reimbursed, upon request, for necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties.

(c) (1) Any person that willfully and knowingly violates any regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(2) The secretary may, at his or her discretion, prosecute civilly or seek civil penalties, pursuant to Sections 9166 and 9167.

(d) The secretary may impose fees to offset the costs of any program established pursuant to this section, provided that the total fees collected do not exceed the actual costs of regulation or impair the department's responsibilities pursuant to this chapter.

(e) The secretary is authorized to establish accounts within the Food and Agriculture Fund as necessary to efficiently administer the department's responsibilities pursuant to this chapter.

(f) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit or restrict the authority granted to the State Veterinarian in Section 9562.

(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 503, Sec. 24. Effective January 1, 2002.)