Chapter 577 Oregon Laws 2007

 

AN ACT

 

SB 234

 

Relating to production of biopharmaceutical crops in Oregon; creating new provisions; amending ORS 561.144; and appropriating money.

 

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

 

          SECTION 1. As used in this section and section 2 of this 2007 Act:

          (1) “Biopharm permit” means a permit issued by the United States Department of Agriculture for the production of a biopharmaceutical crop.

          (2) “Biopharmaceutical crops” means plants that have been genetically modified using a recombinant DNA process to produce vaccines, drugs, enzymes or other medicinal compounds.

          (3) “Recombinant DNA process” means a process in which segments of deoxyribonucleic acid from different organisms are joined together to create recombinant DNA molecules that have the capacity to replicate in some host cell, either autonomously or as an integrated part of the host genome.

 

          SECTION 2. (1) The Director of Agriculture and an appointee of the Director of Human Services who has experience in health program administration may enter into memoranda of understanding or other intergovernmental agreements on behalf of this state for the purpose of furthering collaboration between this state and federal agencies that regulate the growing of biopharmaceutical crops. A memorandum or other agreement entered into under this section shall be designed to increase state input to the federal biopharm permitting system on biopharmaceutical crop issues and requirements of specific interest to this state.

          (2) To the extent authorized under federal and state law, or under any memorandum of understanding or other agreement entered into under subsection (1) of this section, the Director of Agriculture and the appointee of the Director of Human Services, or their designees:

          (a) Notwithstanding ORS 192.410 to 192.505, shall refuse to disclose any biopharm permit application or related biopharmaceutical crop information received from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or from any successor to that service, that the United States Department of Agriculture has determined to be confidential business information.

          (b) May review biopharm permit applications and biopharmaceutical crop information submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture.

          (c) May administer and conduct site inspections and monitoring of any biopharmaceutical crops grown in Oregon.

          (d) If there is evidence that biopharmaceutical crops are endangering Oregon agriculture, horticulture or forest production or public health, may take appropriate enforcement action.

          (e) May charge a biopharm permit applicant or holder fees for state oversight, services or activities under this section. Fees charged under this paragraph may not total more than $10,000 and must be reasonably calculated to reimburse the state for the actual cost of the oversight, services or activities. Fees collected under this paragraph shall be deposited to the credit of the Department of Agriculture Service Fund and are continuously appropriated to the State Department of Agriculture for the purpose of carrying out this section.

 

          SECTION 3. ORS 561.144 is amended to read:

          561.144. (1) The State Treasurer shall establish a Department of Agriculture Service Fund which shall be a trust fund separate and distinct from the General Fund. The State Department of Agriculture shall deposit all license and service fees paid to it under the provisions of the statutes identified in subsection (3) of this section in the Department of Agriculture Service Fund. The State Treasurer is the custodian of this trust fund which shall be deposited by the treasurer in such depositories as are authorized to receive deposits of the General Fund, and which may be invested by the treasurer in the same manner as authorized by ORS 293.701 to 293.820.

          (2) Interest received on deposits credited to the Department of Agriculture Service Fund shall accrue to and become a part of the Department of Agriculture Service Fund.

          (3) The license and service fees subject to this section are those described in ORS 561.400, 570.710, 571.057, 571.063, 571.145, 583.004, 583.046, 583.445, 583.510, 583.610, 585.050, 586.270, 586.580, 586.650, 596.030, 596.311, 599.235, 599.269, 599.406, 599.610, 601.040, 602.090, 603.025, 603.075, 616.706, 618.115, 618.136, 619.031, 621.072, 621.166, 621.266, 621.297, 621.335, 621.730, 622.080, 625.180, 628.240, 632.211, 632.425, 632.600, 632.720, 632.730, 632.741, 632.940, 632.945, 633.015, 633.029, 633.318, 633.362, 633.461, 633.471, 633.680, 633.700, 633.720, 634.016, 634.116, 634.122, 634.126, 634.132, 634.136, 634.212 and 635.030 and section 2 of this 2007 Act.

 

Approved by the Governor June 25, 2007

 

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 27, 2007

 

Effective date January 1, 2008

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