By: Burns, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst) H.B. No. 2851
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2023;
  May 5, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Water,
  Agriculture & Rural Affairs; May 19, 2023, reported favorably by
  the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 19, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the composition of the board of directors of the Texas
  Agricultural Finance Authority and grant amounts under the young
  farmer grant program administered by the authority.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 58.012(a), Agriculture Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The authority is governed by a board of directors
  composed of the commissioner of agriculture, a representative of
  the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences [the director of the
  Institute for International Agribusiness Studies] at Prairie View
  A&M University selected by the dean of the college, a
  representative of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  at Tarleton State University selected by the dean of the college,
  and 10 [nine] members appointed by the commissioner.  Members of
  the board must be appointed in the numbers specified and from the
  following categories:
               (1)  one person who is an elected or appointed official
  of a municipality or county;
               (2)  four persons who are knowledgeable about
  agricultural lending practices;
               (3)  one person who is a representative of agricultural
  businesses;
               (4)  one person who is a representative of agriculture
  related entities, including rural chambers of commerce,
  foundations, trade associations, institutions of higher education,
  or other entities involved in agricultural matters; [and]
               (5)  two persons who represent young farmers and the
  interests of young farmers; and 
               (6)  one person who is knowledgeable about agricultural
  practices and graduated with an agriculture degree from a state
  institution of higher education within the past eight years.
         SECTION 2.  Section 58.093, Agriculture Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 58.093.  AMOUNT OF GRANTS. A grant under the young
  farmer grant program may not be less than $5,000 or more than
  $35,000 [$20,000].
         SECTION 3.  Section 58.093, Agriculture Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies only to a grant issued on or after the effective
  date of this Act. A grant issued before the effective date of this
  Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the grant is issued,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by this Act in the
  qualifications of appointed members of the board of directors of
  the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority do not affect the
  entitlement of an appointed member serving on the board immediately
  before the effective date of this Act to continue to serve for the
  remainder of the member's term.  As the terms of board members
  expire, the commissioner of agriculture shall appoint or reappoint
  a member who has the qualifications required for a member under
  Section 58.012(a), Agriculture Code, as amended by this Act.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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