83R2212 BEF-F

By: Uresti S.B. No. 772

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the elimination of obsolete and redundant reporting requirements for the Department of Agriculture.

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

SECTION 1. Sections 58.016(b), (c), and (d), Agriculture Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) On or before August 1 of each year, the administrator shall file with the board the proposed annual budgets for the young farmer loan guarantee program under Subchapter E, the farm and ranch finance program under Chapter 59, and the programs administered by the board under this chapter for the succeeding fiscal year. If there is no administrator, the commissioner shall assume the duties of the administrator in connection with preparation of the budget. The budget must set forth the general categories of expected expenditures out of revenues and income of the funds administered by the authority and the amount on account of each. On or before September 1 of each year, the board shall consider the proposed annual budget and may approve it or amend it. [Copies of the annual budget certified by the chairman of the board shall be promptly filed with the governor and the legislature. The annual budget is not effective until it is filed.] If for any reason the authority does not adopt an annual budget before September 2, no expenditures may be made from the funds until the board approves the annual budget. The authority may adopt an amended annual budget for the current fiscal year[, but the amended annual budget may not supersede a prior budget until it is filed with the governor and the legislature].

(c) The authority shall have an audit of its books and accounts for each fiscal year by a certified public accountant. The cost of the audit is an expense of the authority. [A copy of the audit shall be filed with the governor and the legislature on or before January 1 of each year.]

(d) On or before January 1 of each year, the authority shall prepare a report of its activities for the preceding fiscal year. The report must set forth a complete operating and financial statement. [The authority shall file copies of the report with the governor and the legislature as soon as practicable.]

SECTION 2. Section 487.051(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The office shall:

(1) assist rural communities in the key areas of economic development, community development, rural health, and rural housing;

(2) serve as a clearinghouse for information and resources on all state and federal programs affecting rural communities;

(3) in consultation with rural community leaders, locally elected officials, state elected and appointed officials, academic and industry experts, and the interagency work group created under this chapter, identify and prioritize policy issues and concerns affecting rural communities in the state;

(4) make recommendations to the legislature to address the concerns affecting rural communities identified under Subdivision (3);

(5) monitor developments that have a substantial effect on rural Texas communities, especially actions of state government[, and compile an annual report describing and evaluating the condition of rural communities];

(6) administer the federal community development block grant nonentitlement program;

(7) administer programs supporting rural health care as provided by this chapter;

(8) perform research to determine the most beneficial and cost-effective ways to improve the welfare of rural communities;

(9) ensure that the office qualifies as the state's office of rural health for the purpose of receiving grants from the Office of Rural Health Policy of the United States Department of Health and Human Services under 42 U.S.C. Section 254r;

(10) manage the state's Medicare rural hospital flexibility program under 42 U.S.C. Section 1395i-4;

(11) seek state and federal money available for economic development in rural areas for programs under this chapter;

(12) in conjunction with other offices and divisions of the Department of Agriculture, regularly cross-train office employees with other employees of the Department of Agriculture regarding the programs administered and services provided to rural communities; and

(13) work with interested persons to assist volunteer fire departments and emergency services districts in rural areas.

SECTION 3. Section 487.804(b), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Not later than January 1 of each even-numbered year, the commissioner shall submit to the legislature a report of the findings of the advisory council and the activities of the Texas Rural Foundation.

SECTION 4. The following provisions are repealed:

(1) Section 15.006, Agriculture Code;

(2) Sections 102.167(e) and (f), Agriculture Code;

(3) Section 487.056, Government Code; and

(4) Section 487.653, Government Code.

SECTION 5. 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 September 1, 2013.