By Swinford, McReynolds, Turner of Coleman, Cook,      H.B. No. 453
         77R3235 JMG-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of the Agriculture Policy Board.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Chapter 2, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding
 1-5     Section 2.004 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 2.004.  AGRICULTURE POLICY BOARD. (a) The Agriculture
 1-7     Policy Board, through research and analysis, shall advocate and
 1-8     recommend strategies for agriculture that enhance agriculture
 1-9     production, income, and employment, that benefit consumers, and
1-10     that promote efficient use of natural resources.
1-11           (b)  The board is composed of the following voting members:
1-12                 (1)  the commissioner of the Texas Department of
1-13     Agriculture;
1-14                 (2)  the chair of the House Agriculture and Livestock
1-15     Committee;
1-16                 (3)  the chair of the Senate Natural Resources
1-17     Committee Subcommittee on Agriculture;
1-18                 (4)  three members of the house of representatives to
1-19     be appointed by the speaker of the house, preferably with expertise
1-20     in agriculture or from predominately rural or agriculturally
1-21     oriented districts; and
1-22                 (5)  three members of the senate to be appointed by the
1-23     lieutenant governor, preferably with expertise in agriculture or
1-24     from predominately rural or agriculturally oriented districts.
 2-1           (c)  The members of the board shall elect from its membership
 2-2     a chair.
 2-3           (d)  Employees of the House Agriculture and Livestock
 2-4     Committee and the Senate Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee
 2-5     on Agriculture shall provide staff services for the board.
 2-6           (e)  The board shall continue the development of agriculture
 2-7     policy guidelines consistent with Section 2.003 and shall:
 2-8                 (1)  review all legislation that will impact
 2-9     agriculture in this state for compliance with the guidelines;
2-10                 (2)  review all agriculture budget issues for
2-11     compliance with the guidelines, and establish priorities for
2-12     agriculture-related research and agency budgets related to
2-13     agriculture;
2-14                 (3)  review all current statutes that affect
2-15     agriculture in this state for compliance with the guidelines; and
2-16                 (4)  review all agency rulemaking authority for
2-17     compliance with the guidelines.
2-18           (f)  Service as a member of the board is an additional duty
2-19     of the member's public office.
2-20           (g)  Legislative members of the board serve two-year terms
2-21     and membership on the board terminates if the member ceases
2-22     membership in the legislature for any reason.
2-23           (h)  A vacancy in an appointive position on the board is
2-24     filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
2-25           (i)  Members of the board serve without compensation or
2-26     reimbursement of expenses. Members shall be reimbursed in
2-27     accordance with their public office.
 3-1           (j)  The board may create a 15-member ad hoc advisory
 3-2     committee to assist the board in carrying out the official duties
 3-3     of the board. Members of the advisory committee serve without
 3-4     compensation or reimbursement of expenses.
 3-5           (k)  The board shall adopt rules necessary for the
 3-6     proceedings of the board.
 3-7           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.