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House Bill 2024 |
House Author: Kolkhorst |
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Effective: 9-1-07 |
Senate Sponsor: Estes |
House Bill 2024 amends the Education Code to continue the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory and remove it from applicability of the sunset law while simultaneously adopting certain across-the-board standard sunset provisions. The bill specifies the laboratory's duties, which include: providing diagnostic testing to aid in the identification of animal diseases; providing testing to facilitate international, interstate, or intrastate animal shipment; identifying and monitoring animal disease epidemics; assisting livestock owners and veterinarians in the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and other animal health matters; reporting diseases and related animal health matters, including those that could affect human health; disseminating information on trends in animal health derived from diagnostic testing; and performing other functions to provide diagnostics, surveillance, and reporting of animal diseases. The bill provides that the laboratory must satisfy specified requirements for notice and public comment opportunity before adopting a fee or changing the amount of a fee, and may provide diagnostic testing services for pets and other domestic animals or out-of-state clients only when and to the extent that laboratory resources are not required for diagnostic testing services for livestock in the state.