By: Van de Putte, Zaffirini S.B. No. 877 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of an advisory committee for the special 1-3 supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 531.0221 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 531.0221. WIC PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) In this 1-8 section: 1-9 (1) "Committee" means the advisory committee 1-10 established under this section. 1-11 (2) "Department" means the Texas Department of Health. 1-12 (3) "WIC program" means the federal special 1-13 supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children 1-14 authorized by 42 U.S.C. Section 1786, as amended, and administered 1-15 by the department. 1-16 (b) The commissioner shall establish a WIC program advisory 1-17 committee to provide input from WIC program merchants, vendors, 1-18 recipient advocacy groups, and local clinics to advise the 1-19 commissioner and the department on policy, rules, and technology 1-20 changes concerning the WIC program. 1-21 (c) The committee consists of 10 members appointed by the 1-22 commissioner from geographically diverse areas as follows: 1-23 (1) four representatives of retail merchant vendors, 1-24 with two from national supermarket companies and two from regional 1-25 or independent food retailers; 2-1 (2) one representative of a specialty retailer such as 2-2 a pharmacy or WIC program-only retailer; 2-3 (3) two representatives of advocacy groups for WIC 2-4 program recipients, such as charities or consumer groups; and 2-5 (4) three representatives of staff at WIC program 2-6 clinics. 2-7 (d) The committee shall: 2-8 (1) review all current WIC program policies; 2-9 (2) review and submit comments concerning proposed WIC 2-10 program rule and policy changes; 2-11 (3) advise state employees developing and implementing 2-12 the electronic benefits transfer program for the WIC program on the 2-13 methods for benefits delivery through the use of a card issued to a 2-14 WIC program recipient; 2-15 (4) recommend procedures to be used with pricing 2-16 issues for WIC program products; and 2-17 (5) examine and make recommendations regarding the 2-18 possibility of adding farmers' markets as WIC program vendors. 2-19 (e) A member of the committee may not receive compensation 2-20 for serving on the committee and may not be reimbursed for travel 2-21 expenses incurred while conducting the business of the committee. 2-22 (f) The department shall provide administrative support, 2-23 including staff, for the committee. 2-24 (g) The committee is not subject to Chapter 2110. 2-25 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.