Agricultural theft prevention: retention and sale of agricultural commodity: holding and deposit of proceeds.

Assembly Member Alanis proposes modifying California's agricultural theft prevention framework by reducing the time county agricultural commissioners must hold proceeds from seized commodity sales. The legislation adjusts the mandatory retention period from six months to three months before unclaimed funds transfer to county general funds.

Under current law, when authorities seize agricultural commodities due to suspected theft, commissioners may sell the goods if unclaimed after 48 hours, or sooner for perishable items. The proceeds are then held to allow rightful owners to prove ownership and reclaim the funds. The bill maintains existing provisions for commodity handling - including options for public auction, private sale to commercial packers, or donation to nonprofits after 72 hours - while specifically shortening the window for owners to retrieve sale proceeds.

The measure preserves other key elements of the agricultural theft prevention system, including commissioners' authority to recover storage and sale costs from owners claiming proceeds, and their ability to destroy commodities deemed unfit for consumption. County agricultural commissioners would need to update their internal procedures to align with the revised timeline once the changes take effect.