By Counts H.B. No. 1309
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1309:
By Johnson C.S.H.B. No. 1309
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the composition and authority of the Texas Agricultural
1-3 Finance Authority and the abolition of the Agricultural
1-4 Diversification Board.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Sections 58.012(a) and (b), Agriculture Code, are
1-7 amended to read as follows:
1-8 (a) The authority is governed by a board of directors
1-9 composed of the commissioner of agriculture, the director of the
1-10 Institute for International Agribusiness Studies at Prairie View
1-11 A&M University, and seven <four> members appointed by the governor
1-12 with the advice and consent of the senate. An appointed member
1-13 must be from one of the following categories with at least one
1-14 member but not more than two members from each category:
1-15 (1) elected or appointed officials of a municipality
1-16 or county;
1-17 (2) representatives of lending institutions chartered
1-18 by the state or federal government who are knowledgable about
1-19 agricultural lending practices;
1-20 (3) representatives of agricultural businesses; or
1-21 (4) representatives of chambers of commerce,
1-22 foundations, trade associations, institutions of higher education,
1-23 or other entities involved in agricultural matters.
1-24 (b) The appointed members of the board serve staggered terms
2-1 of two years, with the terms of three <two> members expiring on
2-2 January 1 of each even-numbered year and the terms of four <two>
2-3 members expiring on January 1 of each odd-numbered year.
2-4 SECTION 2. Section 58.021, Agriculture Code, is amended by
2-5 adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
2-6 (c) Except as provided by this subsection, the maximum
2-7 aggregate amount of loans made to or guaranteed, insured,
2-8 coinsured, or reinsured under this subchapter for a single eligible
2-9 agricultural business by the authority from funds provided by the
2-10 authority is $2 million. The authority may make, guarantee,
2-11 insure, coinsure, or reinsure a loan for a single eligible
2-12 agricultural business that results in an aggregate amount exceeding
2-13 $2 million, but not exceeding $5 million, if the action is approved
2-14 by a two-thirds vote of the membership of the board.
2-15 SECTION 3. (a) As soon as possible after the effective date
2-16 of this Act, the governor shall appoint the additional members to
2-17 the board of the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority in accordance
2-18 with Section 58.012, Agriculture Code, as amended by this Act. The
2-19 governor shall appoint two members to serve initial terms expiring
2-20 January 1, 1995, and one member to serve an initial term expiring
2-21 January 1, 1996.
2-22 (b) Until all members have taken office, a quorum of the
2-23 authority is a majority of the number of voting members who are
2-24 qualified.
2-25 (c) A board member who was appointed before the effective
2-26 date of Section 2 of this Act and who does not meet the
2-27 requirements for appointed members imposed by Section 58.012(a),
3-1 Agriculture Code, as amended by this Act, may continue to serve for
3-2 the remainder of the member's term, but is not eligible for
3-3 reappointment unless at the time of reappointment the member meets
3-4 the requirements of Section 58.012(a), Agriculture Code, as amended
3-5 by this Act.
3-6 SECTION 4. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
3-7 section, this Act takes effect January 1, 1994.
3-8 (b) Section 2 of this Act takes effect immediately.
3-9 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
3-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
3-15 terms, and it is so enacted.