Okla. Stat. tit. 2, § 2-5-63.3: Petition for state assessment referendum

A. 1. Any nonprofit commodity organization may petition the

Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and

Forestry to request approval to conduct a state assessment

referendum pursuant to the Commodity Research Enhancement Act.

2. The petition shall state:

a. the name of the nonprofit organization that will

conduct the referendum,

b. the reasons for and the purposes of the state

assessment,

c. the federally approved commodity board that will be

designated by the nonprofit commodity organization as

the recipient of the state assessment,

d. the maximum state assessment to be levied pursuant to

an election,

e. the names and number of positions held by each

nonprofit commodity organization on the federally

approved commodity board, and

f. such other information required by the Commissioner.

3. The petition shall be signed by at least ten percent (10%)

of the commodity producers in the state.

B. 1. Within fifteen (15) days following the day on which a

petition for certification is received, the Commissioner shall

schedule a public hearing to consider the petition. The public

hearing shall be scheduled no later than forty (40) days after

receipt of the completed petition by the Department.

2. Upon the scheduling of the public hearing, the nonprofit

commodity organization shall provide for notification of interested

commodity producers in the manner, method and locations required by

the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry.

3. If the Commissioner determines that, on the basis of

testimony presented at the public hearing, the petitioning nonprofit

commodity organization is representative of the producers of the

agricultural commodity and that the petition conforms to the

purposes and provisions of the Commodity Research Enhancement Act,

the Commissioner shall designate the nonprofit commodity

organization as representative of the producers of the commodity and

authorized to conduct the state assessment referendum.

4. The petitioning nonprofit commodity organization shall be

responsible for all costs associated with the Commissioner's

consideration of the petition.