7 U.S.C. § 4914

Amendment procedure

(a) In general

Before a plan issued by the Secretary under this chapter may be amended, the Secretary shall publish the proposed amendments for public comment and conduct a referendum in accordance with section 4912 of this title .

(b) Separate consideration of amendments

(1) In general

The amendments described in paragraph (2) that are required to be made by the Secretary to a plan as a result of the amendments made by the Watermelon Research and Promotion Improvement Act of 1993 shall be subject to separate line item voting and approval in a referendum conducted pursuant to section 4912 of this title before the Secretary alters the plan as in effect on the day before December 14, 1993 .

(2) Amendments

The amendments referred to in paragraph (1) are the amendments to a plan required under—

(A)

section 7 of the Watermelon Research and Promotion Improvement Act of 1993 relating to the elimination of the assessment refund; and

(B)

section 8 of such Act relating to subjecting importers to the terms and conditions of the plan.

(3) Importers

When conducting the referendum relating to subjecting importers to the terms and conditions of a plan, the Secretary shall include as eligible voters in the referendum producers, handlers, and importers who would be subject to the plan if the amendments to a plan were approved.

( Pub. L. 99–198, title XVI, § 1655 , Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1630 ; Pub. L. 103–189, § 10 , Dec. 14, 1993 , 107 Stat. 2264 .)