By Gutierrez                                    H.B. No. 1052

      75R3238 MWV-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to standards for the storage of eggs.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 132.004, Agriculture Code, is amended to

 1-5     read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 132.004. ADOPTION OF STANDARDS.  Standards for the

 1-7     inspection and regulation of shell eggs, including quality, grade,

 1-8     and size of shell eggs,  shall:

 1-9                 (1)  be at least equal to those adopted by the United

1-10     States Department of Agriculture and the federal Food and Drug

1-11     Administration; and

1-12                 (2)  require that, after initial packing, shell eggs be

1-13     stored at a temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less.

1-14           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-15           (b)  Before January 1, 1998, the commissioner of agriculture

1-16     shall adopt rules to implement the changes made by this Act to

1-17     Section 132.004, Agriculture Code.

1-18           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

 2-1                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1

 2-2           Amend House Bill 1052 as follows:

 2-3           (1)  SECTION 1, Sec. 132.004, subsection 2, after "less" and

 2-4     ", provided however that any different temperature standard adopted

 2-5     by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Federal Food

 2-6     and Drug Administration shall prevail".

 2-7                                                                    Cook