Local Authority Enforce Violation of Noxious Weed Act

Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee. Current law allows the commissioner of agriculture to assess civil penalties for violations of state laws related to the prevention of noxious weeds (violations). The bill:

• Clarifies that a board of county commissioners (board) may allow for the assessment and collection of fines for violations of local laws enacted to enforce the management of noxious weeds in the county;
• Creates a civil infraction for violations;
• Creates a civil penalty for violations that is no less than $500 and no more than $1,000;
• Allows a county attorney to issue petition the district court for an injunction to prevent an ongoing violation; and
• Allows a board to appoint a district attorney to enforce violations in the event that the county does not have a county attorney or in any other circumstance that the board deems appropriate.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)