CA AB243

Establishes the California Beef Commission with 11 members and 11 alternates appointed by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to augment the work of the existing California Beef Council.

Imposes a mandatory $1 per head assessment on cattle and calf sales to fund commission operations, with producers able to request refunds within 90 days of payment.

Requires an initial referendum by June 1, 2019 where a majority of producers must approve the commission for it to become operative, and requires reapproval referendums every 5 years thereafter.

Grants the commission authority to administer programs related to California cattle, beef, and beef products industry, except for matters under the Council's jurisdiction, and exempts commission actions from antitrust laws including the Cartwright Act.

Keeps producer and handler information confidential and prohibits public disclosure of proprietary data, names, addresses, and individual refund information except by court order.