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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to pollinator health. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 131, Agriculture Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 131.011 and 131.012 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 131.011. POLLINATOR HEALTH EDUCATION. (a) The Texas |
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A&M AgriLife Extension Service, in consultation with the |
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department, shall develop educational materials regarding the best |
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practices for avoiding adverse effects from pesticides on |
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populations of bees and other pollinating insects. The educational |
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materials must include information on measures that pesticide |
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applicators may take to protect honeybees and bumblebees. The |
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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the department shall |
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jointly design the requirements to ensure that any pesticide |
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applicator applying or supervising the application of a pesticide |
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is knowledgeable regarding alternatives to, the appropriateness |
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of, and precautions for pesticide use that may be injurious to the |
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health of bees and other pollinating insects. |
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(b) The department shall make the educational materials |
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described in this section a part of the education required to obtain |
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a pesticide applicator license under Chapter 76. |
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Sec. 131.012. TASK FORCE ON POLLINATOR HEALTH. (a) In this |
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section, "task force" means the task force on pollinator health |
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established under this section. |
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(b) The task force consists of the following 10 members: |
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(1) one member of the senate, appointed by the |
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lieutenant governor after consultation with the speaker of the |
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house of representatives, who serves as a nonvoting member of the |
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task force; |
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(2) one member of the house of representatives, |
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appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives after |
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consultation with the lieutenant governor, who is from a different |
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political party than the member appointed under Subdivision (1) and |
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who serves as a nonvoting member of the task force; |
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(3) one member, appointed by the governor, who is a |
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university faculty member specializing in the science of pollinator |
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health; |
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(4) one member, appointed by the governor, |
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representing an advocacy group for nurseries and greenhouse |
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producers; |
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(5) one member, appointed by the governor, |
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representing an advocacy group for farmers; |
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(6) one member, appointed by the governor, |
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representing an advocacy group dedicated to the protection of |
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pollinators and invertebrates; |
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(7) one member, appointed by the governor, |
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representing an advocacy group dedicated to environmental |
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protection; |
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(8) one member, appointed by the governor, |
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representing an advocacy group for retailers; |
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(9) one member, appointed by the governor, who is |
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certified as a master gardener by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension |
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Service and who represents the public; and |
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(10) one member, appointed by the governor, who is a |
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beekeeper and who represents the public. |
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(c) The task force shall undertake activities to examine |
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issues relevant to pollinator health, including: |
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(1) studying proposed and enacted pesticide |
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regulations from other states and countries that are more |
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protective of pollinator health than the pesticide regulations of |
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the United States Environmental Protection Agency; |
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(2) studying public education and outreach plans |
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regarding pollinator health that have been successful in other |
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states; |
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(3) evaluating the effectiveness of applicator |
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licensing and other legal requirements, and of any state or federal |
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incentives, in matters affecting pollinator health; |
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(4) identifying possible funding streams for efforts |
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to promote or protect pollinator health; |
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(5) investigating the means used by other states to |
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gather data on populations of bees or other pollinating insects; |
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and |
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(6) evaluating existing best management practices for |
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applying neonicotinoids in a manner that avoids harming pollinating |
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insects. |
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(d) The task force may take actions necessary and proper to |
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carry out the work of the task force, including scheduling hearings |
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and taking testimony on matters related to pollinator health. |
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(e) A majority of the voting members of the task force |
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constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. |
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(f) Official action by the task force requires the approval |
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of five or more voting members of the task force. |
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(g) The task force shall elect one of its voting members to |
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serve as presiding officer. |
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(h) The appropriate appointing officer shall appoint a |
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qualified person to fill a vacancy on the task force. |
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(i) The task force shall meet at times and places specified |
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by the call of the presiding officer or of a majority of the voting |
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members of the task force. |
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(j) The task force may adopt bylaws necessary for the |
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operation of the task force. |
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(k) Not later than October 1, 2022, the task force shall |
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submit a report, which may include recommendations for legislation, |
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to the standing committees of the senate and the house of |
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representatives with primary jurisdiction over agriculture. The |
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task force may provide progress reports to those committees before |
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October 1, 2022. |
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(l) The department shall provide staff support to the task |
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force. |
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(m) Members of the task force who are not members of the |
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legislature are not entitled to compensation but may be reimbursed |
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for actual and necessary travel and other expenses incurred in the |
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performance of their official duties in the manner and amounts |
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provided for in the General Appropriations Act. |
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(n) Each state agency shall assist the task force in the |
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performance of its duties and, to the extent permitted by laws |
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relating to confidentiality, shall furnish information and advice |
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that the members of the task force consider necessary to perform |
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their duties. |
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(o) This section expires December 31, 2022. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2021, the relevant |
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appointing authorities shall appoint the members of the task force |
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on pollinator health under Section 131.012(b), Agriculture Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |