BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 591

79R4912 QS-F                                                                                                      By: Jackson, Mike

S/C on Agriculture & Coastal Resources

3/3/2005

As Filed

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Current law requires an authorized inspector with the Texas Animal Health Commission to be present at all livestock markets.  This creates an untenable burden on animal inspectors who are stretched to the limit under normal conditions.  When an emergency occurs of an outbreak of a disease, such as avian influenza, inspectors are pulled from their normal duties to respond.  As proposed, S.B. 591 grants the Texas Animal Health Commission the authority and the ability to assign an inspector to another duty of higher priority when necessary. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 161.114, Agriculture Code, to permit an authorized inspector to examine livestock consigned to and delivered on the premises of a livestock market before the livestock are offered for sale, rather than requiring the inspector to visually examine all those livestock.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.