Honorable Tracy O. King, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3952 by Phillips (Relating to suspension of the activities of the Texas Grain Producer Indemnity Board.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Texas Agriculture Code by adding Section 41.128 to make the Texas Grain Producer Indemnity Board inactive until the commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) orders the reactivation of the Board. The commissioner would be required to order the reactivation if at least 200 grain producers petition the commissioner to reactivate the board. The bill would set the terms of office of the members of the Board to expire on December 31, 2017, or when the Board files its final report.
The bill would instruct TDA to administer the Texas Grain Producer Indemnity Fund (TGPIF) while the Board is inactive, and to pay all or part of any relevant claim deemed valid by TDA out of the money available in the fund. The bill would require TDA, if the agency determines that no potential claims remain, to refund any money remaining in the fund to grain producers who paid an assessment into the Grain Producer Indemnity Fund on a pro rata basis.
TDA estimates that no significant fiscal impact will result from implementing the provisions of the bill, as the TGPIF was not created.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.