1-1     By:  Gutierrez (Senate Sponsor - Ogden)               H.B. No. 1052

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 4, 1997;

 1-3     April 8, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural

 1-4     Resources; May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-5     Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 16, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to standards for the storage of eggs.

 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-10           SECTION 1.  Section 132.004, Agriculture Code, is amended to

1-11     read as follows:

1-12           Sec. 132.004. ADOPTION OF STANDARDS.  Standards for the

1-13     inspection and regulation of shell eggs, including quality, grade,

1-14     and size of shell eggs,  shall:

1-15                 (1)  be at least equal to those adopted by the United

1-16     States Department of Agriculture and the federal Food and Drug

1-17     Administration; and

1-18                 (2)  require that, after initial packing, shell eggs be

1-19     stored at a temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less,

1-20     provided, however, that any different temperature standard adopted

1-21     by the United States Department of Agriculture and the federal Food

1-22     and Drug Administration shall prevail.

1-23           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-24           (b)  Before January 1, 1998, the commissioner of agriculture

1-25     shall adopt rules to implement the changes made by this Act to

1-26     Section 132.004, Agriculture Code.

1-27           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-28     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-29     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-30     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-31     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

1-32                                  * * * * *