1-1     By:  Duncan, Ogden                                     S.B. No. 448
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 9, 1999; February 10, 1999,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources;
 1-4     February 25, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas
 1-5     6, Nays 0; February 25, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the boll weevil eradication program.
 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10           SECTION 1.  Chapter 74, Agriculture Code, is amended by
1-11     adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
1-12           SUBCHAPTER E.  COST-SHARING FOR BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION
1-13           Sec. 74.151.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
1-14                 (1)  "Boll weevil" and "pink bollworm" have the
1-15     meanings assigned by Section 74.002.
1-16                 (2)  "Commissioner" has the meaning assigned by Section
1-17     74.102.
1-18           Sec. 74.152.  CREATION OF COST-SHARING PROGRAM.  As part of
1-19     the program to eradicate the boll weevil and the pink bollworm
1-20     under this chapter, a cost-sharing program is created to be
1-21     administered under this chapter and rules adopted by the
1-22     commissioner.
1-23           Sec. 74.153.  COST-SHARING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  The
1-24     commissioner may contract to obtain boll weevil eradication
1-25     services for the state with the entity named under Section 74.1011.
1-26           (b)  If the commissioner contracts to obtain boll weevil
1-27     eradication services with the entity named under Section 74.1011,
1-28     the department may not provide funding for the service at a rate
1-29     that is greater than the rate set in the General Appropriations
1-30     Act.
1-31           (c)  The department may spend money under the cost-sharing
1-32     program only in a zone in which:
1-33                 (1)  a boll weevil eradication project under this
1-34     chapter is active; or
1-35                 (2)  boll weevil eradication has been declared complete
1-36     by the United States Department of Agriculture or its designee.
1-37           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-38     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-39     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-40     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-41     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-42     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-43     passage, and it is so enacted.
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