Teleconference Instructions

Due to the health and safety risks associated with the ongoing coronavirus    (Covid-19) pandemic, the Senate will continue to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Accordingly, seating for Senate proceedings will continue to be limited to the extent social distancing allows. All are encouraged to watch the live stream of the hearing on the Senate’s website at  https://www.senate.ca.gov/

We encourage the public to submit written testimony before the hearing through the position letter portal. Please note that any written testimony submitted to the committee is considered public comment and may be read into the record or reprinted.

The Capitol will be open for attendance of committee hearings, but the public is strongly encouraged to participate via the web portal or telephonically.

Information regarding a call-in option for testimony will be made available and updated the night prior to the hearing date.

Senate Agriculture Committee call-in information for hearing:    

Participant telephone number:            Access Code:  

Please note: In order for your testimony to be heard clearly, you must mute any devices you are using to live stream the committee hearing prior to calling into the teleconference service. Please do not testify using speakerphone or Bluetooth, this can cause acoustic feedback and make it very difficult to hear your testimony. 

• Upon calling in, you will be placed in a “waiting room” where you will be muted, but you can listen to the committee hearing as you wait.
• When the committee moves to public comment, the moderator will ask for anyone who wishes to testify in “Support” of the bill to please press 1-0. When the committee moves to “Opposition,” the moderator will prompt those waiting in “Opposition.”  You should press 1-0 when you are prompted by the moderator – be sure to listen for “Support” or “Opposition.” DO NOT press 1-0 until the proper position has been asked for. 
• When you press 1-0 on your phone, you will wait; and the operator will assign you a line number. At that time, you will be placed in the queue to wait to be identified. Remember your line number, the moderator will call out that number to identify YOU when it is your turn to testify. 
• OF IMPORTANT NOTE: If you press 1-0 a second time, you will remove yourself from the queue; and you will not be identified to testify. Every time you press 1-0, you either put yourself “In queue” or take yourself “Out of queue.” Listen carefully, and press 1-0 only once when you are prompted by the moderator.

A more detailed explanation of the teleconference instructions can be found by clicking the “Teleconference Instructions” 

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                                   POSITION LETTERS

Support and Opposition letters are due by 5:00 p.m. one week prior to the hearing.

• Letters must be on letterhead with signature and title of an official of the organization or designated representative.
• Coalition letters must have signatures and titles for all organizations.
• Letters of conditional support or opposition will not be listed on the analysis.
• Letters must clearly indicate position ("We have concerns" is not clear).
• Submit letters only once unless the bill was subsequently amended in such a way to cause uncertainty as to your organization's present position.
• Please submit position letters by clicking on the "Submit Position Letter" icon below 
• Or you may email letters to Jone.McCarthy@sen.ca.gov  

For information on how to submit a position letter, please see the directions below:

Advocacy Quick Reference Guide

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                          DURING THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES,

                           WE ARE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST YOU

To protect public health and slow the transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building are closed to the public. However, we are working remotely to continue to serve you.

• We are receiving office phone calls and responding to all email communications during the business hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
• We will continue to receive position letters on all legislation via the advocacy portal (below), fax, and email.
• We will continue to keep our website up to date on the status of our bill hearings

PLEASE REACH OUT SHOULD YOU NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMITTEE OFFICE

Committee phone:  916-651-1508

Committee staff:  

   Jone McCarthy, Committee Assistant              jone.mccarthy@sen.ca.gov

   Reichel Everhart, Committee Consultant        reichel.everhart@sen.ca.gov

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JURISDICTION:  Bills relating to agriculture.

Committee Members:

Senator Andreas Borgeas (Chair)
Senator Melissa Hurtado (Vice Chair)
Senator Anna M. Caballero
Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman
Senator Steven M. Glazer