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. 1-44 * * * * *