76R12009 BDH-F
By Cook H.B. No. 3277
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3277:
By Green C.S.H.B. No. 3277
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to research in agriculture production and its effect on
1-3 water use and availability and wildlife habitats.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 88, Education Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 88.216 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 88.216. AGRICULTURE AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH AND
1-8 MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE; OTHER AGENCIES. (a) The
1-9 Agriculture and Wildlife Research and Management Advisory Committee
1-10 is an advisory committee of the Texas Agricultural Experiment
1-11 Station and is composed of:
1-12 (1) one representative of the Texas Agricultural
1-13 Experiment Station, appointed by the director of the Texas
1-14 Agricultural Experiment Station;
1-15 (2) one representative of the Texas Agricultural
1-16 Extension Service, appointed by the director of the Texas
1-17 Agricultural Extension Service;
1-18 (3) one representative of Texas Tech University,
1-19 appointed by the dean of the College of Agriculture of Texas Tech
1-20 University;
1-21 (4) one representative of The University of Texas at
1-22 Austin, appointed by the vice president for research of The
1-23 University of Texas System;
1-24 (5) one representative of the Department of
2-1 Agriculture, appointed by the commissioner of agriculture;
2-2 (6) one representative of the Parks and Wildlife
2-3 Department, appointed by the director of the department;
2-4 (7) one representative of the Texas Water Development
2-5 Board, appointed by the executive director of the board;
2-6 (8) one representative of county government, appointed
2-7 by the governor;
2-8 (9) one representative of the general public,
2-9 appointed by the governor;
2-10 (10) one representative of the agribusiness industry,
2-11 appointed by the governor;
2-12 (11) one representative of environmental interests,
2-13 appointed by the governor;
2-14 (12) one representative of wildlife interests,
2-15 appointed by the governor; and
2-16 (13) one representative of the Texas rice industry,
2-17 appointed by the governor.
2-18 (b) The members of the committee serve staggered two-year
2-19 terms, with the terms of the members appointed under Subsections
2-20 (a)(1)-(6) expiring on February 1 of each odd-numbered year and the
2-21 terms of the remaining members expiring on February 1 of each
2-22 even-numbered year.
2-23 (c) The members of the committee shall select a presiding
2-24 officer who shall serve for a term of two years.
2-25 (d) The advisory committee shall meet not less than two
2-26 times each year.
2-27 (e) The administrative expenses of the advisory committee
3-1 may not exceed 20 percent of the total amount of funds available
3-2 for expenditure by the advisory committee.
3-3 (f) Members of the advisory committee are not entitled to
3-4 compensation for service on the advisory committee or reimbursement
3-5 for travel expenses, except that a member who represents a
3-6 university or state agency may receive any reimbursement for travel
3-7 expenses to which the member is otherwise entitled from the
3-8 university or agency.
3-9 (g) The advisory committee shall:
3-10 (1) assist the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
3-11 in conducting agriculture and wildlife research;
3-12 (2) encourage communication with states that are
3-13 interested in agriculture, wildlife, and water issues; and
3-14 (3) establish a plan for more efficient management of
3-15 water resources related to wildlife habitats and agriculture
3-16 production in the Gulf Coast Region.
3-17 (h) The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station shall:
3-18 (1) administer an agriculture and wildlife research
3-19 program;
3-20 (2) solicit grants and create funding programs for
3-21 agriculture and wildlife research;
3-22 (3) engage in activities designed to maximize funding
3-23 from the federal government for agriculture and wildlife research
3-24 and management; and
3-25 (4) with the advice of the advisory committee, plan a
3-26 program of research regarding agriculture production and its
3-27 relationship with water use and wildlife habitats.
4-1 (i) The Texas Agricultural Extension Service shall:
4-2 (1) provide educational programs relating to
4-3 agriculture production, water use, and wildlife habitats; and
4-4 (2) conduct public awareness programs relating to the
4-5 interaction of agriculture production, water use, and wildlife
4-6 habitats through the use of mass communications media,
4-7 publications, demonstrations, and other means of public education.
4-8 SECTION 2. Title 3, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding
4-9 Chapter 46 to read as follows:
4-10 CHAPTER 46. AGRICULTURE AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH PROGRAM
4-11 Sec. 46.001. PROGRAM. The Texas Agricultural Experiment
4-12 Station, in consultation with the Agriculture and Wildlife Research
4-13 and Management Advisory Committee established under Section 88.216,
4-14 Education Code, shall develop and administer a program to finance
4-15 agriculture and wildlife research that the Texas Agricultural
4-16 Experiment Station determines to be of the highest scientific merit
4-17 and to offer significant promise in providing new directions for
4-18 long-term solutions to continued agriculture production, water
4-19 availability, and wildlife habitat availability.
4-20 Sec. 46.002. TERM OF AWARD. An award under Subsection (a)
4-21 must be granted for a two-year period and may be extended at the
4-22 end of that period after review.
4-23 Sec. 46.003. FUNDS. The Texas Agricultural Experiment
4-24 Station may solicit and accept gifts and grants from any public or
4-25 private source, in addition to other appropriations. The use of
4-26 gifts and grants is subject to any limitations contained in the
4-27 gift or grant.
5-1 Sec. 46.004. ANNUAL ACCOUNTING. The Texas Agricultural
5-2 Experiment Station shall provide to the committee in each house of
5-3 the legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters an
5-4 annual accounting of all money received, awarded, and expended
5-5 during the year.
5-6 SECTION 3. Not later than July 1, 2001, the Texas
5-7 Agricultural Experiment Station shall provide to the lieutenant
5-8 governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
5-9 chair of the committee in each house of the legislature having
5-10 jurisdiction over agricultural matters a report prepared with the
5-11 assistance and approval of the Agriculture and Wildlife Research
5-12 and Management Advisory Committee established by Section 88.216,
5-13 Education Code, as added by this Act. The report shall include
5-14 information on the following:
5-15 (1) research being conducted by universities,
5-16 governmental agencies, and private entities that relates to
5-17 agriculture and wildlife;
5-18 (2) research that could potentially be conducted if
5-19 additional funds were available;
5-20 (3) possible benefits of current and future research
5-21 efforts;
5-22 (4) an estimate of the costs associated with past,
5-23 current, and future changes in agriculture production and the
5-24 effects on water quality and availability and the direct and
5-25 indirect effects on wildlife habitats;
5-26 (5) recommendations for future research related to
5-27 agriculture production, water use, and wildlife habitats in this
6-1 state;
6-2 (6) an estimate of the cost of research necessary to
6-3 address the problems associated with agriculture production, water
6-4 use, and wildlife habitats in this state;
6-5 (7) an estimate of the economic and human costs
6-6 associated with not addressing the problems in agriculture
6-7 production, water use, and wildlife habitats in this state; and
6-8 (8) a recommendation of the amount of money the
6-9 legislature should appropriate to support research and management
6-10 in agriculture production, water use, and wildlife habitats.
6-11 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
6-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
6-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
6-17 passage, and it is so enacted.