(a) No referendum required under this article shall be undertaken until any of the following occurs, whichever is earliest:

(1) A statewide referendum held pursuant to this chapter has obtained a passing vote in the County of Los Angeles.

(2) Two statewide referenda have been held pursuant to this chapter.

(3) July 1, 1998.

(b) Referenda required under this article shall be conducted in a similar manner as provided in Article 6 (commencing with Section 13995.60) as follows:

(1) The county commission shall undertake all duties, and act in all respects, in place of the California Tourism Marketing Commission, and either the county or the county treasurer/tax collector, as designated in this article, shall act in place of the Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

(2) The initial assessment target for the county commission shall be set by the county selection committee.

(3) The first referendum shall be initiated by industry members, with all costs of marketing and promoting of the initial referendum to be provided by the tourism industry.

(4) Each referendum may cover one or more of the following subjects:

(A) Assessment level based upon specified assessment formula.

(B) Amended industry segment allocation formulae.

(C) Percentage allocation of assessments between industry categories and segments.

(D) Election of county commissioners subject to election by referendum.

(E) Termination of the county commission.

(F) Whether to establish, continue, or reestablish an assessment.

(5) The costs of all marketing and promoting of all referenda following the initial referendum shall be paid by the county commission from assessments collected. The county commission may reimburse those who have contributed to the costs of the initial referendum from proceeds raised from assessments collected from the initial referendum.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 352, Sec. 283. (AB 1317) Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 543 of Ch. 352.)