BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1269

By: González, Mary

Agriculture & Livestock

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Each year, plant diseases cost the global economy around $220 billion, and invasive insects around $70 billion, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The bill author has informed the committee that there has been a variety of issues with agricultural plant diseases and pests across the state, that researchers are constantly looking for grants to fund their research on plant diseases and pests that impact Texas agriculture, and that Texas currently lacks a grant program needed to further research that could prevent such outbreaks. H.B. 1269 seeks to address this funding gap by creating an agricultural plant disease and pest prevention grant program that will be administered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office for purposes of studying agricultural plant disease and pest prevention.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1269 amends the Agriculture Code to require the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to establish and administer the plant disease and pest prevention grant program, under which a grant may be used only by the grant recipient for the study of plant disease and pest prevention. The bill conditions an applicant's eligibility to receive a grant on the applicant being associated with an institution of higher education located in Texas and providing letters of support from that institution, a representative of the community in which the research will be conducted, and a state elected official who represents such a community.

H.B. 1269 requires the extension service to do the following:

· establish a selection committee and process to award grants to eligible applicants whose research proposals have the most potential benefit to the state;

· award a maximum of 20 grants per year;

· encourage participation from across Texas and consider regional diversity when awarding grants; and

· award grants and distribute funds not later than September 1 of each year.

The bill prohibits the extension service from limiting the number of researchers who are associated with a grant.

H.B. 1269 establishes the plant disease and pest prevention fund as an account in the general revenue fund that is administered by the extension service and used only for the awarding of program grants. The fund consists of the following:

· gifts, grants, including federal grants, and other donations received for the fund;

· interest earned on the investment of money in the fund; and

· any money appropriated to the fund by the legislature.

The bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture to accept gifts, grants, or donations from any source that are made for program purposes and requires this money to be deposited in the fund.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.