By Duncan                                              S.B. No. 448
         76R5915 DB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the boll weevil eradication program.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 74, Agriculture Code, is amended by
 1-5     adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
 1-6           SUBCHAPTER E.  COST-SHARING FOR BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION
 1-7           Sec. 74.151.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
 1-8                 (1)  "Boll weevil" and "pink bollworm" have the
 1-9     meanings assigned by Section 74.002.
1-10                 (2)  "Commissioner" has the meaning assigned by Section
1-11     74.102.
1-12           Sec. 74.152.  CREATION OF COST-SHARING PROGRAM.  As part of
1-13     the program to eradicate the boll weevil and the pink bollworm
1-14     under this chapter, a cost-sharing program is created to be
1-15     administered under this chapter and rules adopted by the
1-16     commissioner.
1-17           Sec. 74.153.  COST-SHARING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  The
1-18     commissioner may contract to obtain boll weevil eradication
1-19     services for the state with the entity named under Section 74.1011.
1-20           (b)  If the commissioner contracts to obtain boll weevil
1-21     eradication services with the entity named under Section 74.1011,
1-22     the department may not provide funding for the service at a rate
1-23     that is greater than the rate set in the General Appropriations
1-24     Act.
 2-1           (c)  The department may spend money under the cost-sharing
 2-2     program only in a zone in which:
 2-3                 (1)  a boll weevil eradication project under this
 2-4     chapter is active; or
 2-5                 (2)  boll weevil eradication has been declared complete
 2-6     by the United States Department of Agriculture or its designee.
 2-7           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-8     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-9     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-10     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-11     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-12     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-13     passage, and it is so enacted.