(a) The commission shall establish an assessment for the season not later than February 1 of each year or continue the previous assessment. The assessment in the first year of the commission’s operation shall be one cent ($0.01) for each pound of sea urchin landed or delivered by divers to handlers in the state. The maximum assessment that can be levied by majority vote of the commission shall not exceed three cents ($0.03) for each pound of sea urchin landed.
(b) An assessment greater than the amount provided for in this section may not be levied unless and until a greater fee is approved by a majority of the commission and by eligible divers and handlers pursuant to procedures specified in this act.
(c) The diver and the handler shall each pay one-half of the assessment established pursuant to this section. If the divers do not vote, pursuant to this act, to approve the commission, a diver is not required to pay any portion of the assessment. If handlers do not vote, pursuant to this act, to approve the commission, a handler is not required to pay any portion of the assessment. If either divers or handlers, but not both, vote in favor of the commission, the assessment may not exceed one-half of the amounts authorized by this section.
(d) Any assessment that is levied as provided for in this section is a personal debt of every person assessed.
(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 973, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2003.)