1-1     By:  Van de Putte                                      S.B. No. 877
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 22, 2001; February 26, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
 1-4     Services; March 19, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 19, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the creation of an advisory committee for the special
 1-9     supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
1-12     amended by adding Section 531.0221 to read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 531.0221.  WIC PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  (a)  In this
1-14     section:
1-15                 (1)  "Committee" means the advisory committee
1-16     established under this section.
1-17                 (2)  "Department" means the Texas Department of Health.
1-18                 (3)  "WIC program" means the federal special
1-19     supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children
1-20     authorized by 42 U.S.C. Section 1786, as amended, and administered
1-21     by the department.
1-22           (b)  The commissioner shall establish a WIC program advisory
1-23     committee to provide input from WIC program merchants, vendors,
1-24     recipient advocacy groups, and local clinics  to advise the
1-25     commissioner and the department on policy, rules, and technology
1-26     changes concerning the WIC program.
1-27           (c)  The committee consists of 10 members appointed by the
1-28     commissioner from geographically diverse areas as follows:
1-29                 (1)  four representatives of retail merchant vendors,
1-30     with two from national supermarket companies and two from regional
1-31     or independent food retailers;
1-32                 (2)  one representative of a specialty retailer such as
1-33     a pharmacy or WIC program-only retailer;
1-34                 (3)  two representatives of advocacy groups for WIC
1-35     program recipients, such as charities or consumer groups; and
1-36                 (4)  three representatives of staff at WIC program
1-37     clinics.
1-38           (d)  The committee shall:
1-39                 (1)  review all current WIC program policies;
1-40                 (2)  review and submit comments concerning proposed WIC
1-41     program rule and policy changes;
1-42                 (3)  advise state employees developing and implementing
1-43     the electronic benefits transfer program for the WIC program on the
1-44     methods for benefits delivery through the use of a card issued to a
1-45     WIC program recipient;
1-46                 (4)  recommend procedures to be used with pricing
1-47     issues for WIC program products; and
1-48                 (5)  examine and make recommendations regarding the
1-49     possibility of adding farmers' markets as WIC program vendors.
1-50           (e)  A member of the committee may not receive compensation
1-51     for serving on the committee and may not be reimbursed for travel
1-52     expenses incurred while conducting the business of the committee.
1-53           (f)  The department shall provide administrative support,
1-54     including staff, for the committee.
1-55           (g)  The committee is not subject to Chapter 2110.
1-56           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-57                                  * * * * *