86R11003 BEF-F
 
  By: Lucio S.B. No. 1812
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a grant program to reduce wait times for agricultural
  inspections of vehicles at ports of entry along the Texas-Mexico
  border.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, is amended by
  adding Section 12.050 to read as follows:
         Sec. 12.050.  TRADE AGRICULTURAL INSPECTION GRANT PROGRAM.
  (a)  Using money appropriated for this purpose or money received
  under Subsection (g), the department may make a grant to a nonprofit
  organization for the purpose of promoting the agricultural
  processing industry in this state by reducing wait times for
  agricultural inspections of vehicles at ports of entry along the
  border with the United Mexican States.
         (b)  The department shall request proposals for the award of
  a grant under this section.  The department shall evaluate the
  proposals and award a grant based on the proposed program's
  quantifiable effectiveness and the potentially positive impact on
  the agricultural processing industry in this state.
         (c)  A grant awarded under this section must be made to an
  organization that has demonstrated experience working with border
  inspection authorities to reduce border crossing wait times.
         (d)  A grant recipient may use grant money received under
  this section only to pay for activities directly related to the
  purpose of the grant program as described by Subsection (a).  A
  grant recipient may use grant money to reimburse a federal
  governmental agency that, at the request of the grant recipient,
  provides additional border agricultural inspectors or pays
  overtime to border agricultural inspectors at ports of entry along
  the border with the United Mexican States.
         (e)  The department shall establish procedures to administer
  the grant program, including a procedure for the submission of a
  proposal and a procedure to be used by the department to evaluate a
  proposal.
         (f)  The department shall enter into a contract that includes
  performance requirements with each grant recipient.  The department
  shall monitor and enforce the terms of the contract.  The contract
  must authorize the department to recoup grant money from a grant
  recipient for failure of the grant recipient to comply with the
  terms of the contract.
         (g)  The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
  donations from any source for the purpose of awarding grants under
  this section.
         (h)  To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a
  nonprofit organization must provide matching funds.  The department
  may not award a grant to a nonprofit organization until the
  department certifies that the nonprofit organization has the
  matching funds.  The amount of the grant may not exceed the amount
  of matching funds.  The department may not require a nonprofit
  organization to provide matching funds in an amount that exceeds
  the amount of the grant.
         (i)  The total amount of grants awarded under this section
  may not exceed $725,000 for the duration of the program.
         (j)  The department may adopt any rules necessary to
  implement this section.
         (k)  Not later than January 15, 2021, the department shall
  evaluate the performance of the program under this section and
  submit a report to the legislature.  The report must include an
  evaluation of agricultural inspections affected by the program,
  including the extent to which the program is reducing wait times for
  agricultural inspections of vehicles at ports of entry along the
  border with the United Mexican States.
         (l)  Unless continued in existence by the legislature, this
  section expires September 1, 2021.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.