| 1 | 1 | | 81R10326 TRH-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1901 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the safety of the fresh fruit and vegetables produced in |
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| 8 | 8 | | this state. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (1) the agricultural industry is a vital part of this |
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| 12 | 12 | | state's economy, annually contributing $103 billion, or 9.2 percent |
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| 13 | 13 | | of the gross state product, and is the state's second largest |
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| 14 | 14 | | resource-based industry, with one in seven Texans being employed in |
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| 15 | 15 | | some segment of the agricultural industry; |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) food safety must be a top state priority because an |
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| 17 | 17 | | accidental or deliberate contamination of food or crops could be |
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| 18 | 18 | | detrimental to the state's economy and would undermine consumer |
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| 19 | 19 | | confidence in the integrity of food safety in this state; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (3) the growing and processing of fresh fruits and |
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| 21 | 21 | | vegetables is crucial to this state, and since September 11, 2001, |
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| 22 | 22 | | awareness of the threat of contamination of those products has |
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| 23 | 23 | | increased; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (4) this state should increase awareness of food |
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| 25 | 25 | | safety among its growers and packers of fresh fruits and vegetables |
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| 26 | 26 | | to avoid disastrous events. |
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| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 91, Agriculture Code, is |
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| 28 | 28 | | amended by adding Section 91.009 to read as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | Sec. 91.009. COORDINATION OF FOOD SAFETY. (a) The |
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| 30 | 30 | | department is the lead agency and shall assist the fresh fruit and |
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| 31 | 31 | | vegetable industries with food safety issues and may provide |
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| 32 | 32 | | assistance to federal agencies in their implementation of voluntary |
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| 33 | 33 | | guidelines relating to sound agricultural practices. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (b) The department shall coordinate, plan, and approve |
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| 35 | 35 | | training and awareness programs for producers and packers of fresh |
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| 36 | 36 | | fruits and vegetables. A program under this subsection must inform |
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| 37 | 37 | | and educate producers and packers regarding: |
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| 38 | 38 | | (1) sound agricultural practices; |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) proper food handling procedures; |
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| 40 | 40 | | (3) the prevention of accidental or deliberately |
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| 41 | 41 | | planned outbreaks of disease; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (4) the enhancement of overall food safety. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (c) The department shall coordinate the planning and |
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| 44 | 44 | | implementation of programs required by Subsection (b) with: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) colleges and universities in this state; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (2) the Texas AgriLife Extension Service; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (3) Texas AgriLife Research; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (4) the Department of State Health Services; and |
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| 49 | 49 | | (5) private industry. |
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| 50 | 50 | | (d) The department may adopt rules to implement this |
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| 51 | 51 | | section. In the development of rules for the certification of |
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| 52 | 52 | | approved food safety curriculum or training, the department shall |
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| 53 | 53 | | consult and coordinate with the Department of State Health |
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| 54 | 54 | | Services. |
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| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 56 | 56 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 57 | 57 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 58 | 58 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 59 | 59 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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