BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3567

By: Kleinschmidt

Agriculture & Livestock

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Department of Agriculture is charged with regulating the structural pest control industry in order to protect the health and wellbeing of the public. A nine-member structural pest control advisory committee advises the department and the commissioner of agriculture on issues relating to such regulation. H.B. 3567 seeks to refine the composition of the advisory committee to better reflect the regulatory responsibility of the department by increasing the number of members who are individuals licensed by the department to provide structural pest control services.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3567 amends the Occupations Code to change the composition of the nine-member structural pest control advisory committee by removing two members who are experts in structural pest control application, one member from an institution of higher education who is knowledgeable in the science of pests and pest control, one member who represents the interests of consumers, and the commissioner of state health services or the commissioner's designee. The bill increases from one to three the number of committee members who represent the interests of structural pest control operators and who are appointed based on recommendations provided by a trade association of operators and adds three members who represent the interests of structural pest control operators and who are experienced in the area of integrated pest management programs in schools.

H.B. 3567 establishes that the changes in law made by the bill's provisions in the qualifications of committee members do not affect the entitlement of a member serving on the committee immediately before the bill's effective date to continue to serve for the remainder of the member's term.

 H.B. 3567 repeals Section 1951.101(c), Occupations Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.