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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Texas Livestock Care Standards |
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Advisory Committee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 6, Agriculture Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 153 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 153. LIVESTOCK CARE STANDARDS |
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Sec. 153.001. PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas Livestock |
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Care Standards Advisory Committee is to develop standards governing |
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the care and well-being of livestock and poultry. |
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Sec. 153.002. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "committee" |
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means the Texas Livestock Care Standards Advisory Committee. |
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Sec. 153.003. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. To the extent |
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resources are available, the department shall: |
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(1) provide administrative support, including staff, |
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to the committee; and |
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(2) publish and distribute information related to |
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livestock and poultry care, including educational materials, to |
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livestock and poultry producers and members of the public. |
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Sec. 153.004. COMPOSITION. (a) The Texas Livestock Care |
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Standards Advisory Committee is composed of the following 16 |
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members: |
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(1) the commissioner, who serves as chair of the |
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committee; and |
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(2) 15 members appointed by the governor, composed of |
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the following: |
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(A) three family farmers; |
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(B) two veterinarians; |
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(C) a food safety expert; |
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(D) a representative of a local humane society; |
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(E) two members representing statewide farm |
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organizations; |
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(F) the dean of a Texas agriculture college; |
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(G) two members representing Texas consumers; |
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and |
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(H) three members from the agriculture industry. |
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(b) The 15 appointed members serve two-year terms. |
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(c) The governor shall fill any vacancy in an appointed |
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position for the remainder of the unexpired term. |
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(d) Appointments to the committee must be made without |
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regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or |
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national origin of the appointees. |
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Sec. 153.005. REMOVAL OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS. (a) A member of |
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the committee may be removed from the committee if the member: |
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(1) is not able to devote the time necessary to perform |
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the member's duties as a member; |
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(2) cannot because of illness or disability discharge |
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the member's duties or cannot discharge those duties for a |
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substantial part of the term for which the member is appointed; or |
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(3) is absent from more than half of the regularly |
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scheduled committee meetings that the member is eligible to attend |
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during a calendar year, unless the absence is excused by a majority |
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vote of the committee. |
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(b) An action of the committee is not invalid because a |
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ground for removal of a committee member exists at the time the |
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action is taken. |
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(c) If the commissioner has knowledge that a potential |
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ground for removal of a committee member exists, the commissioner |
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shall notify the governor and attorney general of the potential |
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ground for removal. |
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Sec. 153.006. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE. (a) The committee shall |
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research and develop standards governing livestock and poultry |
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care, food safety, local food availability, food affordability, and |
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best farm management practices for animal well-being. In developing |
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those standards, the committee shall consider the following |
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factors: |
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(1) the prevention of disease; |
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(2) farm biosecurity; |
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(3) food safety; |
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(4) food production; |
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(5) generally accepted veterinary practices, |
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livestock and poultry practice standards, and ethical standards |
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established by the American Veterinary Medical Association; and |
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(6) any other factors that the committee considers |
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necessary for the proper care and well-being of livestock and |
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poultry in this state. |
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(b) The committee shall meet regularly as necessary at the |
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call of the commissioner to advise the department of its findings. |
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(c) To the extent resources are available, the department |
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shall adopt and enforce the standards. |
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Sec. 153.007. REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES. A committee |
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member may not receive compensation for service on the committee. |
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Subject to availability of funds, a committee member may receive |
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reimbursement for the actual and necessary expenses incurred while |
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conducting committee business. |
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Sec. 153.008. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110, |
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Government Code, does not apply to the committee. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the governor shall appoint the members of the |
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Texas Livestock Care Standards Advisory Committee established by |
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Section 153.004, Agriculture Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) Not later than the 30th day after the date the final |
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member is appointed to the Texas Livestock Care Standards Advisory |
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Committee, the commissioner of agriculture shall call the first |
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meeting of the committee. |
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SECTION 3. This Act does not make an appropriation. A |
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provision in this Act that creates a new governmental program, |
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creates a new entitlement, or imposes a new duty on a governmental |
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entity is not mandatory during a fiscal period for which the |
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legislature has not made a specific appropriation to implement the |
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provision. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |