Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB865 Compare Versions

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1	1	H.B. No. 865
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to the establishment of the Texas Invasive Species
6	6	Coordinating Committee.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding
9	9	Chapter 776 to read as follows:
10	10	CHAPTER 776. TEXAS INVASIVE SPECIES COORDINATING COMMITTEE
11	11	Sec. 776.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
12	12	(1) "Committee" means the Texas Invasive Species
13	13	Coordinating Committee.
14	14	(2) "Invasive species" means a species that is not
15	15	native to an ecosystem and whose introduction to the ecosystem
16	16	causes or has been demonstrated to cause economic harm,
17	17	environmental harm, or harm to human health. Humans, domestic and
18	18	exotic livestock, and non-harmful exotic organisms are not invasive
19	19	species.
20	20	Sec. 776.002. MEMBER AGENCIES. (a) The member agencies of
21	21	the committee are:
22	22	(1) the Department of Agriculture;
23	23	(2) the Parks and Wildlife Department;
24	24	(3) the State Soil and Water Conservation Board;
25	25	(4) the Texas AgriLife Extension Service;
26	26	(5) the Texas Forest Service;
27	27	(6) the Texas Water Development Board; and
28	28	(7) any other state agency added to the committee
29	29	under Subsection (b).
30	30	(b) On the request of a state agency that has an interest in
31	31	controlling invasive species, the member agencies listed in
32	32	Subsections (a)(1)-(6) by unanimous agreement may add the agency to
33	33	the committee.
34	34	Sec. 776.003. REPRESENTATIVES. (a) The committee is
35	35	composed of one representative of each member agency. If an
36	36	agency's representative is unable to attend a committee meeting or
37	37	otherwise perform the representative's duties, the agency's
38	38	alternate representative shall serve in the representative's
39	39	place.
40	40	(b) The administrative head of each member agency:
41	41	(1) shall designate one individual to serve as the
42	42	agency's representative on the committee and one individual to
43	43	serve as alternate representative;
44	44	(2) may change the designated representative or
45	45	alternate representative at will; and
46	46	(3) after designating or changing the representative
47	47	or alternate representative, shall promptly notify the committee in
48	48	writing of the name and position of the new representative or
49	49	alternate representative.
50	50	(c) Service on the committee by a state officer or employee
51	51	is an additional duty of the representative's office or employment.
52	52	Sec. 776.004. DUTIES. (a) The committee shall:
53	53	(1) serve as a catalyst for cooperation between state
54	54	agencies in the area of invasive species control;
55	55	(2) facilitate governmental efforts, including
56	56	efforts of local governments and special districts, to prevent and
57	57	manage invasive species;
58	58	(3) make recommendations to state agencies regarding
59	59	research, technology transfer, and management actions related to
60	60	invasive species control;
61	61	(4) facilitate the exchange of information so that
62	62	each member agency is informed of committee plans, recommendations,
63	63	and proposals for research, education, and implementation of
64	64	activities to:
65	65	(A) prevent, detect, assess, monitor, contain,
66	66	and control or eradicate invasive species; and
67	67	(B) reduce environmental and economic threats
68	68	and threats to human health from invasive species;
69	69	(5) provide a forum for developing coordinated
70	70	interagency strategies and policies for invasive species control;
71	71	(6) provide technical information and input to
72	72	regional and national invasive species control coordination
73	73	efforts, including the National Invasive Species Management Plan;
74	74	(7) facilitate the review of committee technical
75	75	decisions and work product by specialists and interested persons;
76	76	and
77	77	(8) report as needed to the governor, lieutenant
78	78	governor, and speaker of the house of representatives on committee
79	79	plans, work product, and accomplishments.
80	80	(b) Each member agency of the committee shall:
81	81	(1) coordinate the agency's invasive species control
82	82	activities with the committee and relevant coordinating bodies,
83	83	including the National Invasive Species Council;
84	84	(2) share with the committee the agency's technical
85	85	expertise related to invasive species;
86	86	(3) advise the committee of known invasive species
87	87	threats to natural and agricultural resources; and
88	88	(4) cooperate, to the extent allowed by law, in
89	89	initiatives to obtain appropriations and grants for invasive
90	90	species control.
91	91	Sec. 776.005. BYLAWS. (a) The committee shall adopt bylaws
92	92	governing the committee's operations.
93	93	(b) The bylaws:
94	94	(1) must provide a procedure to periodically elect one
95	95	representative as committee chair;
96	96	(2) must provide a procedure to call committee
97	97	meetings;
98	98	(3) must require the committee to meet at least
99	99	annually; and
100	100	(4) may provide for the creation of subcommittees and
101	101	advisory committees.
102	102	Sec. 776.006. STAFF; ATTACHMENT. (a) The committee is
103	103	administratively attached to the State Soil and Water Conservation
104	104	Board.
105	105	(b) The State Soil and Water Conservation Board shall
106	106	provide one full-time equivalent employee to serve as committee
107	107	coordinator.
108	108	Sec. 776.007. SUNSET PROVISION. (a) The committee is
109	109	subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in
110	110	existence as provided by that chapter, the committee is abolished
111	111	and this chapter expires September 1, 2013.
112	112	(b) To the extent that Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act) places
113	113	a duty on a state agency subject to review under that chapter, the
114	114	State Soil and Water Conservation Board shall perform the duty as it
115	115	relates to the committee.
116	116	SECTION 2. Not later than November 1, 2009, the
117	117	administrative head of each member agency of the Texas Invasive
118	118	Species Coordinating Committee shall designate the agency's
119	119	initial representative and alternate representative as provided by
120	120	Section 776.003, Government Code, as added by this Act.
121	121	SECTION 3. Not later than February 1, 2010, the Texas
122	122	Invasive Species Coordinating Committee shall hold its first
123	123	meeting and adopt bylaws as required by Section 776.005, Government
124	124	Code, as added by this Act.
125	125	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
126	126	______________________________ ______________________________
127	127	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
128	128	I certify that H.B. No. 865 was passed by the House on April
129	129	22, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 149, Nays 0, 1 present, not
130	130	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
131	131	No. 865 on May 14, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 1
132	132	present, not voting.
133	133	______________________________
134	134	Chief Clerk of the House
135	135	I certify that H.B. No. 865 was passed by the Senate, with
136	136	amendments, on May 7, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
137	137	______________________________
138	138	Secretary of the Senate
139	139	APPROVED: __________________
140	140	Date
141	141	__________________
142	142	Governor