81R10150 YDB-D
By: Hamilton H.B. No. 2239
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to transferring the Office of Rural Community Affairs to
the Department of Agriculture and abolishing the board of the
office.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 487.001, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 487.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Board" means the Department of Agriculture [board
of the Office of Rural Community Affairs].
(2) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of
agriculture.
(3) "Department" means the Department of Agriculture.
(4) "Office" means the Office of Rural Community
Affairs within the department.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 487, Government Code, is
amended by adding Sections 487.003 and 487.004 to read as follows:
Sec. 487.003. OFFICE OF RURAL COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. The
Office of Rural Community Affairs is established within the
department.
Sec. 487.004. REFERENCE IN LAW. A reference in this chapter
or other law to the board of the Office of Rural Community Affairs
means the commissioner.
SECTION 3. The following laws are repealed:
(1) Sections 487.002, 487.021, 487.022, 487.023,
487.024, 487.025, 487.029, 487.058, and 487.352, Government Code;
and
(2) Section 487.051(b), Government Code, as added by
Chapter 1241 (H.B. 2542), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2007.
SECTION 4. (a) The Office of Rural Community Affairs is
abolished as an independent agency and created as a program in the
Department of Agriculture. The board of the Office of Rural
Community Affairs is abolished.
(b) The validity of an action taken by the Office of Rural
Community Affairs or its board before either is abolished under
Subsection (a) of this section is not affected by the abolishment.
SECTION 5. On September 1, 2009:
(1) the executive director of the Office of Rural
Community Affairs becomes the executive director of the Office of
Rural Community Affairs in the Department of Agriculture;
(2) an employee of the Office of Rural Community
Affairs becomes an employee of the Office of Rural Community
Affairs in the Department of Agriculture;
(3) a reference in law to the Office of Rural Community
Affairs means the Office of Rural Community Affairs in the
Department of Agriculture;
(4) all money, contracts, leases, rights, and
obligations of the Office of Rural Community Affairs are
transferred to the Office of Rural Community Affairs in the
Department of Agriculture;
(5) all property, including records, in the custody of
the Office of Rural Community Affairs becomes the property of the
Office of Rural Community Affairs in the Department of Agriculture;
and
(6) all funds appropriated by the legislature to the
Office of Rural Community Affairs are transferred to the Office of
Rural Community Affairs in the Department of Agriculture.
SECTION 6. A function or activity performed by the Office of
Rural Community Affairs is transferred to the Office of Rural
Community Affairs in the Department of Agriculture as provided by
this Act.
SECTION 7. The Office of Rural Community Affairs and the
Department of Agriculture shall establish a transition plan for the
transfer described in Section 5 of this Act.
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.