Dan Walters' Capitol Q&A

Question: Why was the CDFA allowed to get AB-1735 passed as a concent item and not required to discuss or debate the raw milk issue? Its bill is applied to an industry it regulates. Isn't that also a conflict of interest and defies written administration policy. AB-1735 affects all raw milk from cows, goats and even raw human breast milk.
-- Scott Robinson, Vista

Answer: The measure you cite, signed into law earlier this year by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, imposes new standards on raw milk and is seen by some suppliers and consumers as virtually barring raw, unpasteurized milk from sale. State agencies often sponsor bills in their areas, so this is really standard practice. The bill, moreover, was not a sneaky one. It went through the normal process, taking seven months from introduction to enactment, and was only amended once. It never had a single "no" vote in any committee or on either floor and no one ever expressed any opposition to it. I would say that the raw milk community fell down on the job. If it opposed the bill, it had ample opportunity to say so, but never did.
--Dan Walters