Bill Text: TX HB334 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Livestock Care Standards Advisory Committee.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-15 - Referred to Agriculture & Livestock [HB334 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB334-Introduced.html
82R110 RWG-D | ||
By: Miller of Erath | H.B. No. 334 |
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relating to the establishment of the Texas Livestock Care Standards | ||
Advisory Committee. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 6, Agriculture Code, is | ||
amended by adding Chapter 153 to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 153. LIVESTOCK CARE STANDARDS | ||
Sec. 153.001. PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas Livestock | ||
Care Standards Advisory Committee is to develop standards governing | ||
the care and well-being of livestock and poultry. | ||
Sec. 153.002. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "committee" | ||
means the Texas Livestock Care Standards Advisory Committee. | ||
Sec. 153.003. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. To the extent | ||
resources are available, the department shall: | ||
(1) provide administrative support, including staff, | ||
to the committee; and | ||
(2) publish and distribute information related to | ||
livestock and poultry care, including educational materials, to | ||
livestock and poultry producers and members of the public. | ||
Sec. 153.004. COMPOSITION. (a) The Texas Livestock Care | ||
Standards Advisory Committee is composed of the following 16 | ||
members: | ||
(1) the commissioner, who serves as chair of the | ||
committee; and | ||
(2) 15 members appointed by the governor, composed of | ||
the following: | ||
(A) three family farmers; | ||
(B) two veterinarians; | ||
(C) a food safety expert; | ||
(D) a representative of a local humane society; | ||
(E) two members representing statewide farm | ||
organizations; | ||
(F) the dean of a Texas agriculture college; | ||
(G) two members representing Texas consumers; | ||
and | ||
(H) three members from the agriculture industry. | ||
(b) The 15 appointed members serve two-year terms. | ||
(c) The governor shall fill any vacancy in an appointed | ||
position for the remainder of the unexpired term. | ||
(d) Appointments to the committee must be made without | ||
regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or | ||
national origin of the appointees. | ||
Sec. 153.005. REMOVAL OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS. (a) A member of | ||
the committee may be removed from the committee if the member: | ||
(1) is not able to devote the time necessary to perform | ||
the member's duties as a member; | ||
(2) cannot because of illness or disability discharge | ||
the member's duties or cannot discharge those duties for a | ||
substantial part of the term for which the member is appointed; or | ||
(3) is absent from more than half of the regularly | ||
scheduled committee meetings that the member is eligible to attend | ||
during a calendar year, unless the absence is excused by a majority | ||
vote of the committee. | ||
(b) An action of the committee is not invalid because a | ||
ground for removal of a committee member exists at the time the | ||
action is taken. | ||
(c) If the commissioner has knowledge that a potential | ||
ground for removal of a committee member exists, the commissioner | ||
shall notify the governor and attorney general of the potential | ||
ground for removal. | ||
Sec. 153.006. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE. (a) The committee shall | ||
research and develop standards governing livestock and poultry | ||
care, food safety, local food availability, food affordability, and | ||
best farm management practices for animal well-being. In developing | ||
those standards, the committee shall consider the following | ||
factors: | ||
(1) the prevention of disease; | ||
(2) farm biosecurity; | ||
(3) food safety; | ||
(4) food production; | ||
(5) generally accepted veterinary practices, | ||
livestock and poultry practice standards, and ethical standards | ||
established by the American Veterinary Medical Association; and | ||
(6) any other factors that the committee considers | ||
necessary for the proper care and well-being of livestock and | ||
poultry in this state. | ||
(b) The committee shall meet regularly as necessary at the | ||
call of the commissioner to advise the department of its findings. | ||
(c) To the extent resources are available, the department | ||
shall adopt and enforce the standards. | ||
Sec. 153.007. REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES. A committee | ||
member may not receive compensation for service on the committee. | ||
Subject to availability of funds, a committee member may receive | ||
reimbursement for the actual and necessary expenses incurred while | ||
conducting committee business. | ||
Sec. 153.008. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110, | ||
Government Code, does not apply to the committee. | ||
SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective | ||
date of this Act, the governor shall appoint the members of the | ||
Texas Livestock Care Standards Advisory Committee established by | ||
Section 153.004, Agriculture Code, as added by this Act. | ||
(b) Not later than the 30th day after the date the final | ||
member is appointed to the Texas Livestock Care Standards Advisory | ||
Committee, the commissioner of agriculture shall call the first | ||
meeting of the committee. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act does not make an appropriation. A | ||
provision in this Act that creates a new governmental program, | ||
creates a new entitlement, or imposes a new duty on a governmental | ||
entity is not mandatory during a fiscal period for which the | ||
legislature has not made a specific appropriation to implement the | ||
provision. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |