Bill Text: TX HB3983 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the Global Agricultural Innovation Institute program administered by the Department of Agriculture.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-13 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB3983 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB3983-Comm_Sub.html
84R25479 BEF-D | |||
By: González | H.B. No. 3983 | ||
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3983: | |||
By: King of Uvalde | C.S.H.B. No. 3983 |
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relating to the Global Agricultural Innovation Institute program | ||
administered by the Department of Agriculture. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Title 3, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding | ||
Chapter 50E to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 50E. GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION INSTITUTE | ||
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS | ||
Sec. 50E.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
(1) "Board" means the Global Agricultural Innovation | ||
Institute Board. | ||
(2) "Program" means the Global Agricultural | ||
Innovation Institute program. | ||
Sec. 50E.002. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER AND | ||
DEPARTMENT. (a) The department shall administer this chapter and | ||
may adopt rules necessary to implement this chapter. | ||
(b) The commissioner may appoint or employ consultants or | ||
other agents as necessary for the business of the program. | ||
(c) The department may contract with any state institution | ||
of higher education, state agency, domestic or foreign person, or | ||
federal agency to perform services or provide facilities for the | ||
board. | ||
Sec. 50E.003. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. Notwithstanding any | ||
other provision of this chapter, the department is not required to | ||
grant awards or otherwise implement this chapter and the | ||
commissioner is not required to appoint board members unless the | ||
department accepts a gift, grant, or donation of money or real or | ||
personal property for the purpose of implementing this chapter. | ||
SUBCHAPTER B. GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION INSTITUTE PROGRAM | ||
Sec. 50E.051. PROGRAM ESTABLISHED. The department may | ||
establish the program to enhance and create developing | ||
technologies, recruit businesses to this state, develop businesses | ||
in this state, and enhance and create markets to advance and promote | ||
the sale of Texas agricultural products and services worldwide. | ||
Sec. 50E.052. AWARDS. The department may award grants of | ||
money from the Global Agricultural Innovation Institute account and | ||
real or personal property held outside the account to further the | ||
purposes of the program. The use of the award is restricted by the | ||
terms of the award. The department may use only money or property | ||
received under Section 50E.054 to grant an award under this | ||
chapter. | ||
Sec. 50E.053. PROGRAM ACCOUNT. (a) The Global | ||
Agricultural Innovation Institute account is an account in the | ||
general revenue fund. The account is composed of: | ||
(1) gifts, grants, and donations of money received | ||
under Section 50E.054; and | ||
(2) other money required by law to be deposited in the | ||
account. | ||
(b) Money in the account may be appropriated only to the | ||
department for the purpose of the program. | ||
(c) Income from money in the account shall be credited to | ||
the account. | ||
(d) The account is exempt from the application of Section | ||
403.095, Government Code. | ||
Sec. 50E.054. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The board and | ||
the department may solicit, accept, and use gifts, grants, and | ||
donations of money or real or personal property from public and | ||
private sources for the purposes of this chapter, subject only to | ||
limitations contained in the gifts, grants, or donations. | ||
SUBCHAPTER C. GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION INSTITUTE BOARD | ||
Sec. 50E.101. MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS. (a) The board is | ||
composed of: | ||
(1) the commissioner or the commissioner's designee; | ||
(2) one representative of each of the following, | ||
appointed by the commissioner: | ||
(A) The Texas A&M University System; | ||
(B) The University of Texas System; | ||
(C) the Texas Tech University System; | ||
(D) the Texas State University System; | ||
(E) the University of Houston System; | ||
(F) the University of North Texas System; | ||
(G) independent institutions of higher education | ||
in this state; | ||
(H) private institutions of higher education in | ||
this state; | ||
(I) the agriculture marketing industry; | ||
(J) international agricultural financing | ||
businesses; | ||
(K) the livestock industry in this state; | ||
(L) the crop production industry in this state; | ||
(M) international trade; | ||
(N) the horticultural industry in this state; and | ||
(O) humanitarian interests; and | ||
(3) at least four additional at-large members | ||
appointed by the commissioner who represent diverse sectors of the | ||
agricultural industry. | ||
(b) Members appointed under Subsections (a)(2) and (3) | ||
serve staggered six-year terms, with as near as possible to | ||
one-third of the members' terms expiring on February 1 of each | ||
odd-numbered year. | ||
(c) The board members shall nominate and elect a board | ||
member as chair. The chair serves a one-year term. A person who has | ||
served as chair for three consecutive terms is not eligible for | ||
reelection as chair until the third anniversary of the date the | ||
person last served as chair. | ||
(d) Membership on the board by a state officer or employee | ||
is an additional duty of the officer's or employee's employment. | ||
(e) A board member is not a state officer for purposes of | ||
Section 572.021, Government Code, solely because of the member's | ||
service on the board. Board members otherwise required to comply | ||
with Section 572.021, Government Code, are not exempt from that | ||
requirement as a result of service on the board. | ||
Sec. 50E.102. DUTIES OF BOARD. (a) The board shall advise | ||
the department in the administration of the program. | ||
(b) The board shall select the recipients of and grant all | ||
awards, contracts, and partnerships related to the program. | ||
(c) The board may conduct surveys, research, or | ||
investigations for the purposes of the program. | ||
Sec. 50E.103. MEETINGS. (a) The board shall meet at least | ||
twice each year at the call of the chair. | ||
(b) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, the board | ||
may hold an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call if | ||
immediate action is required and the convening at one location of a | ||
quorum of the board is inconvenient for any member of the board. | ||
(c) The meeting held by telephone conference call is subject | ||
to the notice requirements applicable to other meetings. | ||
(d) The notice of a meeting held by telephone conference | ||
call must specify as the location of the meeting the location where | ||
meetings of the board are usually held. | ||
(e) Each part of a meeting held by telephone conference call | ||
that is required to be open to the public shall be audible to the | ||
public at the location specified in the notice of the meeting as the | ||
location of the meeting and shall be recorded. | ||
Sec. 50E.104. COMPENSATION. (a) A member of the board is | ||
not entitled to compensation for service on the board. | ||
(b) A member of the board is entitled to reimbursement for | ||
travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting board | ||
business. | ||
Sec. 50E.105. STAFF AND RESOURCES. (a) The commissioner | ||
shall provide the board with necessary staff and resources to | ||
perform the board's duties under this chapter, as determined by the | ||
commissioner during the state fiscal biennium in which the board is | ||
established and during the next state fiscal biennium. | ||
(b) The board shall hire through an application and | ||
interview process a chief executive officer. The board shall | ||
determine the duties of the chief executive officer. | ||
(c) After the period described by Subsection (a), the chief | ||
executive officer shall employ staff necessary to implement the | ||
program, shall have sole authority to employ and terminate | ||
employees, and may appoint or employ consultants, professionals, or | ||
other agents necessary to conduct the business of the program. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |