Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB344 Compare Versions

The same version is selected twice. Please select two different versions to compare.

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Nelson, Uresti S.B. No. 344
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to the establishment of an advisory committee to study the
7	7	acceptance at farmers markets of food stamps and benefits under the
8	8	women, infants, and children supplemental food program.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) In
11	11	this Act:
12	12	(1) "Farmers market" means a location at which a group
13	13	of two or more farmers that are certified under the Department of
14	14	Agriculture's farmers market certification program offer produce
15	15	for retail sale.
16	16	(2) "Food stamp program" means the program operated
17	17	under 7 U.S.C. Chapter 51 and administered under Chapter 33, Human
18	18	Resources Code.
19	19	(3) "W.I.C. program" means the federal special
20	20	supplemental food program for women, infants, and children
21	21	administered by the Department of State Health Services.
22	22	(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
23	23	Services Commission and the commissioner of the Department of
24	24	Agriculture shall jointly establish an advisory committee to study
25	25	and provide recommendations to the legislature regarding the
26	26	incorporation and use of food stamps and W.I.C. program benefits at
27	27	farmers markets in the state.
28	28	(c) The advisory committee consists of nine members
29	29	appointed as follows:
30	30	(1) the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture
31	31	shall appoint four representatives of farmers market vendors, with
32	32	two members representing urban farmers markets and two members
33	33	representing rural farmers markets or roadside stands; and
34	34	(2) the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
35	35	Services Commission shall appoint:
36	36	(A) one representative of an advocacy group for
37	37	W.I.C. program recipients, such as a charity or consumer group;
38	38	(B) one representative of an advocacy group for
39	39	food stamp recipients, such as a charity or consumer group;
40	40	(C) one representative of staff at W.I.C. program
41	41	clinics;
42	42	(D) one representative of a health and human
43	43	services agency who is a subject matter expert on the W.I.C.
44	44	program; and
45	45	(E) one representative of a health and human
46	46	services agency who is a subject matter expert on the food stamp
47	47	program.
48	48	(d) An advisory committee member is not entitled to
49	49	reimbursement of expenses or to compensation.
50	50	(e) The advisory committee shall meet within 30 days after
51	51	the date the initial appointments have been made and shall select a
52	52	presiding officer. The committee shall meet regularly as
53	53	necessary.
54	54	(f) The advisory committee shall:
55	55	(1) study the costs and benefits of incorporating food
56	56	stamp and W.I.C. program benefits at farmers markets for the
57	57	purchase of fresh, local produce;
58	58	(2) determine the feasibility and cost of providing
59	59	handheld scanners to farmers market vendors to accept electronic
60	60	benefits transfer (EBT) cards;
61	61	(3) determine methods of marketing and outreach to
62	62	farmers market vendors and food stamp and W.I.C. program
63	63	participants to encourage the use of food stamps and W.I.C. program
64	64	benefits to purchase fresh, local produce from farmers markets;
65	65	(4) study methods of funding the transition to farmers
66	66	market participation in the food stamp and W.I.C. programs,
67	67	including federal, state, and private funding; and
68	68	(5) perform other advisory duties as requested by the
69	69	executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission
70	70	or the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture regarding the
71	71	acceptance of food stamps and W.I.C. program benefits at farmers
72	72	markets.
73	73	(g) The Department of Agriculture shall provide
74	74	administrative support, including staff, for the advisory
75	75	committee.
76	76	(h) Not later than September 1, 2010, the advisory committee
77	77	shall submit to the legislature a report outlining the costs,
78	78	benefits, and feasibility of incorporating food stamp and W.I.C.
79	79	program benefits at farmers markets to purchase fresh, local
80	80	produce.
81	81	SECTION 2. INAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN LAW. Chapter 2110,
82	82	Government Code, does not apply to the advisory committee
83	83	established under this Act.
84	84	SECTION 3. EXPIRATION. The advisory committee established
85	85	under this Act is abolished and this Act expires September 1, 2011.
86	86	SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
87	87	immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
88	88	elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
89	89	Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
90	90	immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.