By: Estes S.B. No. 1339

(In the Senate - Filed March 7, 2007; March 19, 2007, read first time and referred to Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs and Coastal Resources; April 23, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute from Committee on Natural Resources by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 23, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1339 By: Estes

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to allowing money in the disaster contingency fund to be used to provide assistance to producers of agricultural products affected by a disaster caused by severe drought or wildfire.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 418.073, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:

(c) The purposes for which money in the disaster contingency fund may be used include making funds available to a state or local agency that will use the funds to provide assistance to producers of agricultural products affected by or recovering from a disaster caused by severe drought or wildfire. In this subsection, "agricultural products" includes:

(1) horticultural, viticultural, forestry, dairy, livestock, poultry, and bee products, including products of exotic livestock as defined by Section 161.001, Agriculture Code; and

(2) any farm or ranch product.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session.

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