(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department of Food and Agriculture shall develop criteria to be used, subject to the approval of the Department of General Services, for the disposal of property by a district agricultural association and the California Exposition and State Fair.

(2) As used in this section, “disposal of property” means the sale of equipment, materials or other forms of personal property no longer necessary to effectuate the purposes of the fair and that do not exceed an estimated fair market value of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).

(b) The board of the district agricultural association or California Exposition and State Fair shall, prior to the disposal of property, as defined in this section, first be required to determine, through the Department of Food and Agriculture, if the property can be used by another fair in the California Fair Network or other state agency or department. If determined that such use is not possible, the board of the district agricultural association or California Exposition and State Fair shall sell the property to the buyer that submits the highest bid.

(c) The regular department audit of district agricultural associations shall confirm the source of funds of any disposed property and compliance with the criteria developed under this section for the disposal of property.

(d) The adoption of the criteria developed pursuant to this section shall relieve a district agricultural association and the California Exposition and State Fair of any requirements to abide by the provisions of the State Administrative Manual which may apply to disposal of property developed by the Department of General Services.

(Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 346, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2008.)