By Lucio S.B. No. 1146
74R6875 MWV-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to citrus fruit maturity standards.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 94.002, Agriculture Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 94.002. Exceptions. This chapter does not apply to:
1-7 (1) citrus fruit other than citrus grandis, osbeck,
1-8 commonly known as grapefruit, and citrus sinensis, osbeck, commonly
1-9 known as oranges;
1-10 (2) a sale of citrus fruit "on the trees";
1-11 (3) grapefruit <citrus fruit> that is accepted for
1-12 transportation or is being transported by a common carrier after
1-13 December 1 <15> and before August <September> 1 of a year; <or>
1-14 (4) early and mid-season oranges that are accepted for
1-15 transportation or that are being transported by a common carrier
1-16 after November 1 and before August 1 of a year; or
1-17 (5) transportation of citrus fruit from a grove to a
1-18 packing house located in this state.
1-19 SECTION 2. Section 94.025(b), Agriculture Code, is amended
1-20 to read as follows:
1-21 (b) Citrus fruit that is immature or otherwise unfit for
1-22 consumption may not be prepared for sale or transportation,
1-23 transported, or received for any purpose prohibited by this section
1-24 as follows:
2-1 (1) grapefruit, from December 2 to July 31 each year;
2-2 and
2-3 (2) early and mid-season oranges, from November 2 to
2-4 July 31 <, from December 16 to August 31> each year.
2-5 SECTION 3. Section 94.031(a), Agriculture Code, is amended
2-6 to read as follows:
2-7 (a) Unless <Citrus fruit may not be transported, or
2-8 prepared, received, or delivered for transportation or market,
2-9 after August 31 and before December 16 each year unless> it has
2-10 been inspected for maturity and approved by a <department> citrus
2-11 fruit inspector or by a United States Department of Agriculture
2-12 citrus fruit inspector and is accompanied by a maturity stamp,
2-13 citrus fruit may not be transported or prepared, received, or
2-14 delivered for transportation or market except:
2-15 (1) grapefruit shipped before August 1 and after
2-16 December 1 of a year; and
2-17 (2) early and mid-season oranges shipped before August
2-18 1 and after November 1 of a year.
2-19 SECTION 4. Section 94.035, Agriculture Code, is amended by
2-20 amending Subsection (a) and by adding Subsection (d) to read as
2-21 follows:
2-22 (a) A person who sells or ships grapefruit after July 31 and
2-23 before December 2 or early and mid-season oranges after July 31 and
2-24 before November 2 <citrus fruit after August 31 and before December
2-25 16> shall pay to the department a maximum fee of:
2-26 (1) 2.5 cents per standard box that is sold,
2-27 transported, or delivered for transportation;
3-1 (2) 1.5 cents per one-half standard box, or other
3-2 container that is one-half the size of a standard container, that
3-3 is sold, transported, or delivered for transportation; or
3-4 (3) 2.5 cents per 80-pound lot, or portion of an
3-5 80-pound lot, that is sold or transported in bulk.
3-6 (d) An inspection service organized under Subchapter A,
3-7 Chapter 91, may collect fees associated with the inspection and
3-8 certification of maturity of citrus fruit under this chapter.
3-9 SECTION 5. Sections 94.004 and 94.031(c), Agriculture Code,
3-10 are repealed.
3-11 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-17 passage, and it is so enacted.