86R4060 TSR-D
 
  By: Farrar H.B. No. 2484
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of the Bee Pollinator Goals Task
  Force to develop and report on statewide pollinator goals.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 131, Agriculture Code, is
  amended by adding Section 131.011 to read as follows:
         Sec. 131.011.  BEE POLLINATOR GOALS TASK FORCE. (a)  The Bee
  Pollinator Goals Task Force is established to develop statewide bee
  pollinator goals and metrics and report on the state's progress
  toward those goals and metrics on a biennial basis.
         (b)  The task force consists of members appointed by the
  governor who have relevant experience in agriculture,
  conservation, education, or local government from the following
  state agencies:
               (1)  the department;
               (2)  the Texas Animal Health Commission;
               (3)  the Texas Education Agency;
               (4)  the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
               (5)  the Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Service;
               (6)  the Office of the Texas State Chemist;
               (7)  the Department of State Health Services;
               (8)  the General Land Office;
               (9)  the Parks and Wildlife Department;
               (10)  the Railroad Commission of Texas;
               (11)  Texas A&M AgriLife Research; and
               (12)  the Texas Apiary Inspection Service.
         (c)  The governor shall designate a member who represents the
  department to be the chair of the task force. Members serve at the
  pleasure of the governor.
         (d)  State agencies with members on the task force shall
  provide administrative support for the task force.
         (e)  Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
  the task force shall submit a report to the members of the
  legislature on the factors contributing to the decline of the bee
  population in this state, including habitat loss, pesticides,
  diseases, and parasites, and recommend feasible initiatives that,
  when implemented, will stop the spread of bee-related diseases,
  sustain this state's bee population, and contribute toward reaching
  the goals and metrics developed by the task force.
         (f)  The report under Subsection (e) must include:
               (1)  recommendations for:
                     (A)  the research needs of this state in the field
  of bee pollination;
                     (B)  the establishment of statewide pollination
  policies; and
                     (C)  state funding to reduce the significant loss
  of bee pollinators in this state to help achieve statewide
  pollinator goals; and
               (2)  information on:
                     (A)  interagency collaboration on pollinator
  protection efforts and methods to improve coordination of the
  policies and programs of member state agencies to maximize the
  benefits from those efforts;
                     (B)  ways to raise public awareness of pollinator
  issues; and
                     (C)  the effectiveness of state agency pollinator
  programs, reports, and recommendations.
         SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the governor shall make the appointments to the Bee
  Pollinator Goals Task Force as described by Section 131.011,
  Agriculture Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.