(a) Within 90 days of the effective date of the amendments made to this section during the 1994 portion of the 1993–94 Regular Session of the Legislature, the secretary shall establish a list of producers eligible to vote. In establishing the list, the secretary may require that producers, handlers, and agricultural commissioners submit the names and mailing addresses of all known producers who are subject to this chapter. The secretary also may require that the information provided include the quantity of apples produced by each producer or, in the alternative, may establish procedures for receiving the information at the time of the referendum vote specified in this article. The request for the information shall be in writing, and the requested information shall be filed within 30 days following receipt of the request.

(b) Any person whose name does not appear upon the appropriate list may have his or her name placed on the list by filing with the secretary a signed statement identifying himself or herself as a person eligible to vote. The absence of a person’s name from the list shall not exempt the person from paying assessments and shall not invalidate any industry votes conducted pursuant to this article.

(c) Proponents and opponents of the commission may contact producers on the lists in a form and manner prescribed by the commission as long as all expenses associated with the contacts are paid in advance.

(Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 69, Sec. 40. Effective May 9, 1994.)