HBA-JRA H.B. 3277 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3277 By: Cook Agriculture & Livestock 4/7/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The agriculture industry in the Gulf Coast region is an important contributor to the economy of the whole region. H.B. 3277 establishes the Agriculture/Wildlife Research and Management Advisory Committee within the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station to advise the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station on research to conduct regarding agriculture production and its relationship to water use and wildlife habitat in the Gulf Coast region and requires the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station to administer the agriculture/wildlife basic research program and solicit, distribute, and create competitive grants and other funding programs for agricultural/wildlife research. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 88, Education Code, by adding Section 88.216, as follows: Sec. 88.216. AGRICULTURE/WILDLIFE RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE; OTHER AGENCIES. (a) Establishes the Agriculture/Wildlife Research and Management Advisory Committee as an advisory committee within the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. (b) Sets forth the composition of the advisory committee. (c) Provides that the advisory committee members serve staggered two-year terms. Provides that half of the members' terms expire on February 1 of each odd-numbered year and the terms of the other half expire on February 1 of each even-numbered year. Authorizes a member to serve more than one term. (d) Requires the advisory committee members to elect a member to serve as presiding officer for a term of two years. (e) Requires the advisory committee to meet at least twice a year. (f) Authorizes the advisory committee to adopt rules for its internal procedures. (g) Prohibits the administrative expenses of the advisory committee from exceeding 20 percent of the total amount of funds available for expenditure by the advisory committee. (h) Provides that advisory committee members are not entitled to compensation for service on the advisory committee, but authorizes those who represent a university or state agency to receive reimbursement for travel expenses from the university or agency the member represents. Requires any other member to pay the member's own expenses. (i) Requires the advisory committee to advise, assist, and direct the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in conducting agriculture/wildlife research; encourage communication with other states that have similar interest in agriculture, wildlife, and water issues; and establish a framework for more efficient management of water as it relates to wildlife habitat and agriculture production in the Gulf Coast Region. (j) Requires the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station to administer the agriculture/wildlife basic research program; solicit, distribute, and create competitive grants and other funding programs for agricultural/wildlife research; engage in activities necessary to maximize funding received from the federal government for agriculture research and wildlife research and management; and with the advise of the advisory committee, plan a program of research regarding agricultural production and its relationship with water use and wildlife habitat. (k) Requires the Texas Agricultural Extension Service to provide educational programs regarding agriculture production, water use and wildlife habitat and conduct public awareness programs regarding agriculture production, water use and wildlife habitat and their interaction through the use of the media, publications, demonstrations, and other mean of public education. SECTION 2. Adds Sections 46.001(a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), Agriculture Code, as follows: (a) Requires the advisory committee to oversee a program to finance broadly based agriculture/wildlife research that the advisory committee determines to be of the highest scientific merit and offers the greatest promise in providing new directions for long-term solution to continued agriculture production, water availability and wildlife habitat availability. (b) Requires that an award under such a program be granted for a two-year period for individual or group projects, and authorizes it to be extended after review by the advisory committee at the end of that period. (c) Authorizes the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station to accept gifts and grants from the federal government, state government, and private sources, as well as legislative appropriations. Provides that the use of gifts and grants other than legislative appropriations is subject only to limitations contained in the gift or grant. (d) Requires the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station to make an annual accounting of all money received, awarded, and expended during the year to the legislative committees responsible for agricultural issues. (e) Authorizes the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station to adopt rules necessary for the implementation and administration of the award program. SECTION 3. Requires the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station to present to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the chair of the committee responsible for agriculture matters in each house of the legislature a report prepared with the assistance, advice, and approval of the advisory committee containing specific information, including the results of research, benefits that might be achieved through current and future research, cost estimates associated with changes in agriculture production and research, and recommendations for future research. SECTION 4.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.