1-1     By:  Swinford, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Haywood)       H.B. No. 453
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House March 12, 2001;
 1-3     March 14, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Natural Resources; April 17, 2001, reported favorably by the
 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 17, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the creation of the Agriculture Policy Board.
 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10           SECTION 1. Chapter 2, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding
1-11     Section 2.004 to read as follows:
1-12           Sec. 2.004.  AGRICULTURE POLICY BOARD. (a) The Agriculture
1-13     Policy Board, through research and analysis, shall advocate and
1-14     recommend strategies for agriculture that enhance agriculture
1-15     production, income, and employment, that benefit consumers, and
1-16     that promote efficient and sustainable use of natural resources.
1-17           (b)  The board is composed of the following voting members:
1-18                 (1)  the commissioner of the Texas Department of
1-19     Agriculture;
1-20                 (2)  the chair of the House Agriculture and Livestock
1-21     Committee;
1-22                 (3)  the chair of the Senate Natural Resources
1-23     Committee Subcommittee on Agriculture;
1-24                 (4)  three members of the house of representatives to
1-25     be appointed by the speaker of the house, preferably with expertise
1-26     in agriculture or from predominately rural or agriculturally
1-27     oriented districts; and
1-28                 (5)  three members of the senate to be appointed by the
1-29     lieutenant governor, preferably with expertise in agriculture or
1-30     from predominately rural or agriculturally oriented districts.
1-31           (c)  The members of the board shall elect from its membership
1-32     a chair.
1-33           (d)  Employees of the House Agriculture and Livestock
1-34     Committee and the Senate Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee
1-35     on Agriculture shall provide staff services for the board.
1-36           (e)  The board shall continue the development of agriculture
1-37     policy guidelines consistent with Section 2.003 and shall:
1-38                 (1)  review all legislation that will impact
1-39     agriculture in this state for compliance with the guidelines;
1-40                 (2)  review all agriculture budget issues for
1-41     compliance with the guidelines and establish priorities for
1-42     agriculture-related research and agency budgets related to
1-43     agriculture;
1-44                 (3)  review all current statutes that affect
1-45     agriculture in this state for compliance with the guidelines; and
1-46                 (4)  review all agency rulemaking authority for
1-47     compliance with the guidelines.
1-48           (f)  Service as a member of the board is an additional duty
1-49     of the member's public office.
1-50           (g)  Legislative members of the board serve two-year terms
1-51     and membership on the board terminates if the member ceases
1-52     membership in the legislature for any reason.
1-53           (h)  A vacancy in an appointive position on the board is
1-54     filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
1-55           (i)  Members of the board serve without compensation or
1-56     reimbursement of expenses. Members shall be reimbursed in
1-57     accordance with their public office.
1-58           (j)  The board shall create a 15-member ad hoc advisory
1-59     committee to assist the board in carrying out the official duties
1-60     of the board. Members of the advisory committee serve without
1-61     compensation or reimbursement of expenses.
1-62           (k)  The board shall adopt rules necessary for the
1-63     proceedings of the board.
1-64           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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