By Ellis S.B. No. 1475
74R4902 DLF-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to creation of the Texas Food Security Council.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Title 9, Human Resources Code, is amended by
1-5 adding Chapter 136 to read as follows:
1-6 CHAPTER 136. TEXAS FOOD SECURITY COUNCIL
1-7 Sec. 136.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "council" means
1-8 the Texas Food Security Council.
1-9 Sec. 136.002. TEXAS FOOD SECURITY COUNCIL. (a) The Texas
1-10 Food Security Council is composed of:
1-11 (1) one representative of the Texas Department of
1-12 Human Services, appointed by the commissioner of human services;
1-13 (2) one representative of the Texas Department of
1-14 Health, appointed by the commissioner of public health;
1-15 (3) one representative of the Texas Department of
1-16 Commerce, appointed by the executive director of the Texas
1-17 Department of Commerce;
1-18 (4) one representative of the Texas Department on
1-19 Aging, appointed by the executive director of the Texas Department
1-20 on Aging;
1-21 (5) one representative of the Texas Department of
1-22 Agriculture, appointed by the commissioner of agriculture;
1-23 (6) one representative of the Texas Agriculture
1-24 Extension Service, appointed by the chancellor of The Texas A&M
2-1 University System;
2-2 (7) one representative of the Central Education
2-3 Agency, appointed by the commissioner of education;
2-4 (8) two representatives of nonprofit organizations
2-5 that work on nutrition issues in low-income communities, appointed
2-6 by the governor; and
2-7 (9) two representatives of agriculture, appointed by
2-8 the governor.
2-9 (b) Members of the council appointed by the governor serve
2-10 two-year terms that expire on February 1 of odd-numbered years.
2-11 (c) The governor shall designate the presiding officer of
2-12 the council.
2-13 (d) Members of the council serve without compensation but
2-14 are entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred in serving on
2-15 the council as provided by the General Appropriations Act. A
2-16 member that serves as a representative of a state agency shall be
2-17 reimbursed from funds appropriated to that state agency.
2-18 Sec. 136.003. DUTIES OF COUNCIL. (a) The council shall:
2-19 (1) inventory resources that exist in government that
2-20 could be used to increase local communities' secure access to food;
2-21 (2) develop programs to reduce the dependence of
2-22 low-income families on nutritional assistance programs or other,
2-23 similar government programs;
2-24 (3) develop a coordinated plan to create opportunities
2-25 to increase access to food in low-income communities; and
2-26 (4) provide information and technical assistance,
2-27 including assistance in applying for public and private grants, to
3-1 help local communities develop comprehensive responses to hunger.
3-2 (b) The council shall provide local communities information
3-3 relating to the:
3-4 (1) financing and development of programs that could
3-5 be used by local communities to increase secure access to food;
3-6 (2) availability of land owned by government entities
3-7 for use as community gardens;
3-8 (3) development of farmers' markets;
3-9 (4) development of local food policy councils; and
3-10 (5) dissemination of nutrition education and other
3-11 information related to improving secure access to food.
3-12 Sec. 136.004. AGENCY COOPERATION. Each agency with a
3-13 representative on the council shall cooperate with the council and
3-14 shall provide staff, clerical and administrative support,
3-15 information, and resources necessary to accomplish the council's
3-16 duties.
3-17 Sec. 136.005. GRANTS. The council may apply for and accept
3-18 public or private grants to fund the council's duties.
3-19 Sec. 136.006. SUNSET PROVISION. The council is subject to
3-20 Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued
3-21 in existence as provided by that chapter, the council is abolished
3-22 and this chapter expires September 1, 2005.
3-23 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
3-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-1 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-2 passage, and it is so enacted.