Votes at a glance: Committee reports several agriculture bills favorably

During its April 14 meeting the Senate agriculture committee reported the following measures favorably (motions and outcomes recorded in the committee transcript):

- House Bill 332 (LAFA): change mandated meetings from four to a minimum of two; reported favorably (motion recorded: Senator Wheat).

- House Bill 344 (Cotton and Grain Indemnity Fund): raise maximum fund holdings from $12,000,000 to $25,000,000; reported favorably.

- House Bill 370 (assessment rate increase for the indemnity fund): raise assessment to increase annual collections from an average of about $626,000 to an estimated $1,252,000; reported favorably.

- House Bill 367 (Structural Pest Control Commission): align notice procedures with the Administrative Procedure Act (reasonable notice); reported favorably (Senator Faizy moved).

- House Bill 505 (certification card cycle): issue certification cards to match three-year renewal cycles; reported favorably (Senator Womack moved).

- Senate Bill 502 (bagasse storage): reported as amended to clarify bagasse is an intermediate product and to prohibit parish/municipal ordinances that ban storage when the material is stored per Department-approved BMPs; amendment 2,065 adopted to make the law effective on gubernatorial signature.

Most motions were made and reported by voice during the hearing; the transcript does not show recorded roll-call votes or tallies. Items reported favorably will proceed to the Senate calendar for further consideration.