By Van de Putte                                        S.B. No. 877
         77R4609 SGA-D                           
                                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
 2-1     or independent food retailers;
 2-2                 (2)  one representative of a specialty retailer such as
 2-3     a pharmacy or WIC program-only retailer;
 2-4                 (3)  two representatives of advocacy groups for WIC
 2-5     program recipients, such as charities or consumer groups; and
 2-6                 (4)  three representatives of staff at WIC program
 2-7     clinics.
 2-8           (d)  The committee shall:
 2-9                 (1)  review all current WIC program policies;
2-10                 (2)  review and submit comments concerning proposed WIC
2-11     program rule and policy changes;
2-12                 (3)  advise state employees developing and implementing
2-13     the electronic benefits transfer program for the WIC program on the
2-14     methods for benefits delivery through the use of a card issued to a
2-15     WIC program recipient;
2-16                 (4)  recommend procedures to be used with pricing
2-17     issues for WIC program products; and
2-18                 (5)  examine and make recommendations regarding the
2-19     possibility of adding farmers' markets as WIC program vendors.
2-20           (e)  A member of the committee may not receive compensation
2-21     for serving on the committee and may not be reimbursed for travel
2-22     expenses incurred while conducting the business of the committee.
2-23           (f)  The department shall provide administrative support,
2-24     including staff, for the committee.
2-25           (g)  The committee is not subject to Chapter 2110, Government
2-26     Code.
2-27           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.