To implement the amendments made to this chapter by section 605 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (other than subsection (m) of that section), the Secretary shall issue an amended order under section 4603 of this title that reflects those amendments.

Not later than 90 days after June 23, 1998, the Secretary shall publish a proposed order under section 4603 of this title that reflects the amendments made by section 605 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998. The Secretary shall provide notice and an opportunity for public comment on the proposed order in accordance with section 4604 of this title.

Not later than 240 days after publication of the proposed order, the Secretary shall issue an order under section 4605 of this title, taking into consideration the comments received and including in the order such provisions as are necessary to ensure that the order conforms with the amendments made by section 605 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998.

Producer-packers, importers, and handlers shall be allowed to vote as if—

On issuance of an order under section 4605 of this title reflecting the amendments made by section 605 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, the Secretary shall conduct a referendum under this section for the sole purpose of determining whether the order as amended shall become effective.

(A) In general On issuance of an order under section 4605 of this title reflecting the amendments made by section 605 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, the Secretary shall conduct a referendum under this section for the sole purpose of determining whether the order as amended shall become effective.

(B) Individual provisions No individual provision of the amended order shall be subject to a separate vote under the referendum.

(2) Eligible voters The Secretary shall conduct the referendum among persons subject to assessment under the order that have been producers, producer-packers, importers, or handlers during the 2-calendar-year period that precedes the referendum, which period shall be considered to be the representative period.

Producer-packers, importers, and handlers shall be allowed to vote as if—

(A) In generalProducer-packers, importers, and handlers shall be allowed to vote as if— (i) the amended order had been in place during the representative period described in paragraph (2); and (ii) they had owed the increased assessments provided by the amended order.

(B) Votes and attributed quantity for producer-packers and importers The votes and the quantity of honey and honey products attributed to the votes of producer-packers and importers shall be determined in accordance with section 4611 of this title.

(C) Attributed quantity for handlers The quantity of honey and honey products attributed to the vote of a handler shall be the quantity handled in the representative period described in paragraph (2) for which the handler would have owed assessments had the amended order been in effect.

(4) Effectiveness of order The amended order shall become effective only if the Secretary determines that the amended order is effective in accordance with section 4611 of this title.

If adoption of the amended order is not approved—

(1) the order issued under section 4603 of this title that is in effect on June 23, 1998, shall continue in full force and effect; and

(2) the Secretary may amend the order to ensure the conformity of the order with this chapter (as in effect on the day before June 23, 1998).

Subject to paragraph (2), if adoption of the amended order is not approved in the referendum required under subsection (d), the Secretary may issue an amended order that implements some or all of the amendments made to this chapter by section 605 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, or makes other changes to an existing order, in accordance with the administrative procedures specified in sections 4604 and 4605 of this title.

(1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), if adoption of the amended order is not approved in the referendum required under subsection (d), the Secretary may issue an amended order that implements some or all of the amendments made to this chapter by section 605 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, or makes other changes to an existing order, in accordance with the administrative procedures specified in sections 4604 and 4605 of this title.

(2) Approval An amendment to an order that implements a provision that is subject to a referendum shall be approved in accordance with section 4611 of this title before becoming effective.

If the amended order becomes effective, any referendum otherwise required to be conducted under section 4612(c) of this title shall not be held before the date that is 5 years after the date of the referendum conducted under this section.

(Pub. L. 98–590, § 14, as added Pub. L. 105–185, title VI, § 605(m), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 602.)