Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1779 by Hinojosa (Relating to the establishment of the official citrus producers' pest and disease management corporation; providing penalties.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Agriculture Code to create the Texas Citrus Pest and Disease Management Corporation, Inc. The corporation would be a Texas nonprofit corporation that would be recognized by the Department of Agriculture (TDA) as the entity to plan, carry out, and operate suppression programs to manage and control the Asian citrus psyllid and citrus greening in citrus plants in Texas under the supervision of TDA.
The bill would require TDA to form advisory committees to gather, advise, input, and receive guidance from citrus producers from the area represented by the committee concerning the interests in and concerns about the implementation of the requirements of the bill. The bill would require the Commissioner of Agriculture to conduct a referendum in each proposed pest management zone to determine whether the citrus producers want to establish a pest management zone.
The bill would require the corporation to have an annual independent audit. The bill would authorize the State Auditors Office (SAO) to audit the transactions of the corporation.
The bill would authorize TDA, the corporation, or their designated representative to enter citrus groves or other premises to treat and monitor growing citrus or other host plants. The bill would allow TDA to destroy or treat citrus plants or hosts in pest management zones if it is determined that the action is necessary.
The bill would give TDA the authority to issue, or authorize the issuance of, a certificate that indicates that a regulated article is not infested with the Asian citrus psyllid and a permit that provides for the movement of a regulated article to a restricted destination for limited handling, use, or processing.
TDA and SAO indicate that they can absorb any costs associated with the bill within their current resources.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2009.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
308 State Auditor's Office, 551 Department of Agriculture, 116 Sunset Advisory Commission, 302 Office of the Attorney General, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices