Public agencies conducting agricultural, livestock, industrial, cultural, or other types of fairs or exhibitions may enter into a joint powers agreement to form an insurance pooling arrangement for the payment of workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation, tort liability, public liability, or other losses incurred by those agencies. An insurance and risk pooling arrangement formed in accordance with a joint powers agreement pursuant to this section is not subject to Section 11007.7 of the Government Code. The Department of Food and Agriculture may enter into such a joint powers agreement for the California Exposition and State Fair, district agricultural associations, or citrus fruit fairs, and the department shall have authority to contract with the California Exposition and State Fair, district agricultural associations, or citrus fruit fairs with respect to such a joint powers agreement entered into on behalf of the California Exposition and State Fair, district agricultural association, or citrus fruit fair. Any county contracting with a nonprofit corporation to conduct a fair pursuant to Sections 25905 and 25906 of the Government Code may enter into such a joint powers agreement for a fair conducted by the nonprofit corporation, and shall have authority to contract with a nonprofit corporation with respect to such a joint powers agreement entered into on behalf of the fair of the nonprofit corporation.

Any county contracting with a nonprofit corporation to conduct a fair shall assume all workers’ compensation and liability obligations accrued prior to the dissolution or nonrenewal of the nonprofit corporation’s contract with the county.

Any public entity entering into a joint powers agreement under this section shall establish or maintain a reserve fund to be used to pay losses incurred under the agreement. The reserve fund shall contain sufficient moneys to maintain the fund on an actuarially sound basis.

(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 373, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.)