BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 4644
88R20177 MP-D	By: Thimesch (Kolkhorst)
	Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
	5/18/2023
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Wildlife and plant diseases and pests can have a large impact on Texas citizens and businesses, and disease quarantines have significant implications on the movement of plant and animal products that affect breeders, growers, retailers, and private citizens. Too often, formal communication is lacking from state agencies on new quarantine boundaries, updated compliance agreements, and findings of pest and disease. State agencies publish rules through their formal rulemaking process in the Texas Register, but this is an insufficient way of communicating to business owners in regulated industries. H.B. 4644 seeks to address this issue by providing for the development and implementation of a statewide Internet-based alert system for notifications related to wildlife and plant pests, diseases, and quarantines in order to help provide transparent and timely information to impacted stakeholders.

H.B. 4644 amends current law relating to an alert system for dangerous plant and wildlife pests and diseases administered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter K, Chapter 88, Education Code, by adding Section 88.823, as follows:

Sec. 88.823.  PEST, DISEASE, AND QUARANTINE ALERT SYSTEM.� (a) Requires the Texas AgriLife Extension Service (extension service), with the cooperation of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), to develop and implement a statewide Internet-based alert system for notifications related to wildlife and plant pests, diseases, and quarantines. Requires that the alert system issue notifications for:

(1)  a confirmed case of a dangerous plant or wildlife pest or disease;

(2)  the establishment, modification, or removal of a pest or disease quarantine order; and

(3)  any compliance agreements entered into with TDA related to a pest or disease quarantine.

(b)  Requires that the alert system established under this section:

(1)  issue notifications through e-mail; and

(2)  provide for enrollment in the alert system for delivery of a system notification.

(c)  Requires the extension service to enter into a memorandum of understanding with TDA, TAHC, and TPWD to ensure the extension service is able to issue a required notification under Subsection (a) within 72 hours of an applicable action by those agencies.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2023.