73R3836 MJW-F
By Eckels H.B. No. 2219
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the re-creation of the Texas-Israel Semi-Arid Fund as
1-3 the Texas-Israel Exchange Fund and to the powers and duties of that
1-4 board.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. The chapter heading of Chapter 45, Agriculture
1-7 Code, is amended to read as follows:
1-8 CHAPTER 45. TEXAS-ISRAEL EXCHANGE <SEMI-ARID> FUND
1-9 SECTION 2. Section 45.001, Agriculture Code, is amended to
1-10 read as follows:
1-11 Sec. 45.001. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; PURPOSE. (a) The
1-12 legislature finds that Texas and Israel have many interests in
1-13 common. They face many of the same difficulties in agriculture;
1-14 the geography of both areas produces semiarid climatic conditions;
1-15 there is present in both areas a rising demand for a limited supply
1-16 of water coupled with increasing pressures to minimize the use of
1-17 energy in all aspects of agriculture. Scientific and technological
1-18 cooperatives already produce close ties between the two areas while
1-19 engaging in binational projects for scientific and industrial
1-20 research and development.
1-21 A fund to support joint agricultural research and development
1-22 by, and the development of trade and business relations between,
1-23 Texas and Israel will address common problems and make substantial
1-24 contributions to the development of agriculture, trade, and
2-1 business in both areas. Since Texas has long emphasized
2-2 broad-based agricultural research and Israel has originated and
2-3 developed agricultural technologies designed to maximize production
2-4 with minimal use of resources such as water and labor, each of the
2-5 two areas will benefit by sharing information and expertise.
2-6 (b) The purpose of this chapter is to:
2-7 (1) establish a fund to promote and support practical
2-8 and applied agricultural research and development that will result
2-9 in mutual benefit to Texas and Israel and will help to provide
2-10 solutions to food and fiber production problems wherever they
2-11 exist, particularly those relating to water conservation; and
2-12 (2) establish a program of mutual cooperation that
2-13 will foster the development of trade, mutual assistance, and
2-14 business relations between Texas and Israel.
2-15 SECTION 3. Sections 45.002(2) and (3), Agriculture Code, are
2-16 amended to read as follows:
2-17 (2) "Board" means the Texas-Israel Exchange
2-18 <Semi-Arid> Fund Board.
2-19 (3) "Fund" means the Texas-Israel Exchange <Semi-Arid>
2-20 Fund.
2-21 SECTION 4. Section 45.003, Agriculture Code, is amended to
2-22 read as follows:
2-23 Sec. 45.003. CREATION OF FUND. (a) The Texas-Israel
2-24 Exchange <Semi-Arid> Fund is established within the department.
2-25 (b) The fund <Texas-Israel Semi-Arid Fund> is a fund in the
2-26 state treasury.
2-27 SECTION 5. Section 45.005, Agriculture Code, is amended by
3-1 adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
3-2 (f) The fund shall encourage and support a program of mutual
3-3 cooperation that will foster the development of trade, mutual
3-4 assistance, and business relations between Texas and Israel.
3-5 SECTION 6. The section heading of Section 45.006,
3-6 Agriculture Code, is amended to read as follows:
3-7 Sec. 45.006. TEXAS-ISRAEL EXCHANGE <SEMI-ARID> FUND BOARD.
3-8 SECTION 7. Sections 45.006(a), (d), and (i), Agriculture
3-9 Code, are amended to read as follows:
3-10 (a) The Texas-Israel Exchange <Semi-Arid> Fund Board is
3-11 created and composed of:
3-12 (1) the commissioner of agriculture;
3-13 (2) six <five> members appointed by the commissioner;
3-14 (3) one member <three members> appointed by the
3-15 executive officer of The University of Texas System;
3-16 (4) one member <three members> appointed by the
3-17 executive officer of The Texas A&M University System;
3-18 (5) one member <three members> appointed by the
3-19 executive officer of Texas Tech University; and
3-20 (6) as nonvoting, ex officio members, the lieutenant
3-21 governor, <and> the speaker of the house of representatives, and
3-22 the comptroller or their designees.
3-23 (d) Appointed board members serve for staggered six-year
3-24 terms. The terms of one-third of the <five> appointed board
3-25 members expire on February 1 of each odd-numbered year. <The
3-26 length of term of the appointed members of the first board shall be
3-27 decided by lot at the first meeting of the board with the terms of
4-1 five members expiring February 1, 1991; the terms of five members
4-2 expiring February 1, 1993; and the terms of five members expiring
4-3 February 1, 1995.>
4-4 (i) The board <Texas-Israel Semi-Arid Fund Board> is subject
4-5 to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless
4-6 continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the board is
4-7 abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2001 <1995>.
4-8 SECTION 8. Section 45.008(a), Agriculture Code, is amended
4-9 to read as follows:
4-10 (a) If the objectives of the fund cannot be realized because
4-11 of lack of cooperation with the appropriate entities in Israel or
4-12 if the board is abolished by the legislature or by operation of
4-13 <the Texas Sunset Act (>Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset
4-14 Act), any asset remaining that was received by gift or grant from
4-15 Israel shall be liquidated and a pro rata share of any money other
4-16 than revenue deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the
4-17 fund <Texas-Israel Semi-Arid Fund> shall be returned to Israel.
4-18 SECTION 9. (a) The Texas-Israel Semi-Arid Fund Board is
4-19 abolished, and the term of a member of the Texas-Israel Semi-Arid
4-20 Fund Board expires on the effective date of this Act.
4-21 (b) As soon as possible after the effective date of this
4-22 Act, the commissioner of agriculture shall appoint six members to
4-23 the Texas-Israel Exchange Fund Board as provided by Section 7 of
4-24 this Act, with two members' terms expiring February 1, 1995, two
4-25 members' terms expiring February 1, 1997, and two members' terms
4-26 expiring February 1, 1999.
4-27 (c) As soon as possible after the effective date of this
5-1 Act, the respective executive officers of The University of Texas
5-2 System, The Texas A&M University System, and Texas Tech University
5-3 shall each appoint one member to the Texas-Israel Exchange Fund
5-4 Board. At the first board meeting after the members appointed
5-5 under this subsection are qualified to take office, the three
5-6 members shall decide by lot the length of term of each member, with
5-7 one member's term expiring February 1, 1995, one member's term
5-8 expiring February 1, 1997, and one member's term expiring February
5-9 1, 1999.
5-10 (d) Until all members of the Texas-Israel Exchange Fund
5-11 Board are appointed and are qualified to take office as required by
5-12 this Act, a majority of the members who are qualified to serve on
5-13 the board constitutes a quorum of the board, so long as at least
5-14 four members are qualified.
5-15 SECTION 10. The importance of this legislation and the
5-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
5-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
5-21 passage, and it is so enacted.