By:  Sims, Lucio                                       S.B. No. 700
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to the registration of pesticides.
    1-2        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-3        SECTION 1.  Subsections (a) and (c), Section 76.043,
    1-4  Agriculture Code, are amended to read as follows:
    1-5        (a)  Registration of a pesticide expires on the second
    1-6  anniversary of the date of its approval or renewal except that the
    1-7  department shall by rule adopt a system under which registrations
    1-8  expire on various dates during the year <annually on December 31>.
    1-9        (c)  A registration in effect on its expiration date
   1-10  <December 31> for which a renewal application has been filed and
   1-11  renewal fee has been paid continues in effect until the department
   1-12  notifies the applicant that the registration has been renewed or
   1-13  denied renewal.
   1-14        SECTION 2.  Subsection (a), Section 76.044, Agriculture Code,
   1-15  is amended to read as follows:
   1-16        (a)  A nonrefundable fee of $200 <$100> for each pesticide to
   1-17  be registered must be submitted with an application for
   1-18  registration or renewal of registration.
   1-19        SECTION 3.  A registration that is in effect on the effective
   1-20  date of this Act remains in effect until the earlier of the dates
   1-21  on which the registration expires or on which it is revoked by the
   1-22  department.
   1-23        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-4  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-5  passage, and it is so enacted.