By Hirschi H.B. No. 1726
75R12580 E
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to an integrated pest management program at an institution
1-3 of higher education or school district.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 4J, Texas Structural Pest Control Act
1-6 (Article 135b-6, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
1-7 amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read
1-8 as follows:
1-9 (d) The board shall include in standards adopted under this
1-10 section:
1-11 (1) a requirement that the least hazardous [toxic]
1-12 methods available to control pests, rodents, insects, and weeds be
1-13 used; and
1-14 (2) a list of products that a school district is
1-15 allowed to use in its applications.
1-16 (f) An institution of higher education may adopt an
1-17 integrated pest management program that incorporates standards that
1-18 are consistent with Subsections (a) and (d) of this section.
1-19 (g) Neither the adoption of an integrated pest management
1-20 program under Subsection (f) nor the decision not to adopt an
1-21 integrated pest management program under Subsection (f) may be
1-22 construed in any way to:
1-23 (1) relieve an institution of higher education from
1-24 liability; or
2-1 (2) imply that an institution of higher education has
2-2 incurred liability related to the existence or nonexistence of an
2-3 integrated pest management program.
2-4 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-5 (b) If the governing board of an institution of higher
2-6 education establishes an integrated pest management program under
2-7 Section 4J(f), Texas Structural Pest Control Act (Article 135b-6,
2-8 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as added by this Act, the governing
2-9 board of the institution shall report the results of the program to
2-10 the presiding officer of each house of the legislature before
2-11 September 1, 2001. The report shall include an analysis of the
2-12 costs and benefits of establishing the program.
2-13 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-14 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-15 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-16 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-17 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.