The bill would amend the Agriculture Code to allow the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to enter into a cooperative agreement with an institution of higher education for the purpose of the detection and mitigation of plant pests and diseases. The bill would require that TDA provide funding of an indeterminate amount to an institution of higher education that enters into this agreement and that any such institution shall use the funds provided for the purposes of carrying out plant pest and disease detection and surveillance. The bill would require TDA to provide funding to an institution of higher education located in a region of the state at high risk of being affected by one or more plant pests or diseases under criteria identified in the bill. The bill would require any institution of higher education receiving funds for these purposes to provide a report to TDA describing the purposes and results of that activity.

The bill would require TDA to establish a threat identification and mitigation program to address domestic production of crops. The bill would require TDA to submit a report to the Legislature each fiscal year providing details on these activities that would include an accounting of any funding used.

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because the amount of appropriations and the number of institutions of higher education that would apply and qualify to participate in a cooperative agreement associated with implementing the provisions of the bill are unknown.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2021.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


April 16, 2021

TO:	Honorable Charles Perry, Chair, House Committee on Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	HB2089 by Burrows (Relating to the detection and mitigation of plant pests and diseases.), As Engrossed