Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB691 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R3144 BEF-F
2	2	By: Hegar S.B. No. 691
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of the Texas Invasive Species
8	8	Coordinating Committee.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding
11	11	Chapter 776 to read as follows:
12	12	CHAPTER 776. TEXAS INVASIVE SPECIES COORDINATING COMMITTEE
13	13	Sec. 776.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
14	14	(1) "Committee" means the Texas Invasive Species
15	15	Coordinating Committee.
16	16	(2) "Invasive species" means a species that is not
17	17	native to an ecosystem and whose introduction to the ecosystem
18	18	causes or is likely to cause economic harm, environmental harm, or
19	19	harm to human health. Humans, domestic livestock, and non-harmful
20	20	exotic organisms are not invasive species.
21	21	Sec. 776.002. MEMBER AGENCIES. (a) The member agencies of
22	22	the committee are:
23	23	(1) the Department of Agriculture;
24	24	(2) the Parks and Wildlife Department;
25	25	(3) the State Soil and Water Conservation Board;
26	26	(4) the Texas AgriLife Extension Service;
27	27	(5) the Texas Forest Service;
28	28	(6) the Texas Water Development Board; and
29	29	(7) any other state agency added to the committee
30	30	under Subsection (b).
31	31	(b) On the request of a state agency that has an interest in
32	32	controlling invasive species, the member agencies listed in
33	33	Subsections (a)(1)-(6) by unanimous agreement may add the agency to
34	34	the committee.
35	35	Sec. 776.003. REPRESENTATIVES. (a) The committee is
36	36	composed of one representative of each member agency. If an
37	37	agency's representative is unable to attend a committee meeting or
38	38	otherwise perform the representative's duties, the agency's
39	39	alternate representative shall serve in the representative's
40	40	place.
41	41	(b) The administrative head of each member agency:
42	42	(1) shall designate one individual to serve as the
43	43	agency's representative on the committee and one individual to
44	44	serve as alternate representative;
45	45	(2) may change the designated representative or
46	46	alternate representative at will; and
47	47	(3) after designating or changing the representative
48	48	or alternate representative, shall promptly notify the committee in
49	49	writing of the name and position of the new representative or
50	50	alternate representative.
51	51	(c) Service on the committee by a state officer or employee
52	52	is an additional duty of the representative's office or employment.
53	53	Sec. 776.004. DUTIES. (a) The committee shall:
54	54	(1) serve as a catalyst for cooperation between state
55	55	agencies in the area of invasive species control;
56	56	(2) facilitate governmental efforts, including
57	57	efforts of local governments and special districts, to prevent and
58	58	manage invasive species;
59	59	(3) make recommendations to state agencies regarding
60	60	research, technology transfer, and management actions related to
61	61	invasive species control;
62	62	(4) facilitate the exchange of information so that
63	63	each member agency is informed of committee plans, recommendations,
64	64	and proposals for research, education, and implementation of
65	65	activities to:
66	66	(A) prevent, detect, assess, monitor, contain,
67	67	and control or eradicate invasive species; and
68	68	(B) reduce environmental and economic threats
69	69	and threats to human health from invasive species;
70	70	(5) provide a forum for developing coordinated
71	71	interagency strategies and policies for invasive species control;
72	72	(6) provide technical information and input to
73	73	regional and national invasive species control coordination
74	74	efforts, including the National Invasive Species Management Plan;
75	75	(7) facilitate the review of committee technical
76	76	decisions and work product by specialists and interested persons;
77	77	and
78	78	(8) report as needed to the governor, lieutenant
79	79	governor, and speaker of the house of representatives on committee
80	80	plans, work product, and accomplishments.
81	81	(b) Each member agency of the committee shall:
82	82	(1) coordinate the agency's invasive species control
83	83	activities with the committee and relevant coordinating bodies,
84	84	including the National Invasive Species Council;
85	85	(2) share with the committee the agency's technical
86	86	expertise related to invasive species;
87	87	(3) advise the committee of known invasive species
88	88	threats to natural and agricultural resources; and
89	89	(4) cooperate, to the extent allowed by law, in
90	90	initiatives to obtain appropriations and grants for invasive
91	91	species control.
92	92	Sec. 776.005. BYLAWS. (a) The committee shall adopt bylaws
93	93	governing the committee's operations.
94	94	(b) The bylaws:
95	95	(1) must provide a procedure to periodically elect one
96	96	representative as committee chair;
97	97	(2) must provide a procedure to call committee
98	98	meetings;
99	99	(3) must require the committee to meet at least
100	100	annually; and
101	101	(4) may provide for the creation of subcommittees and
102	102	advisory committees.
103	103	Sec. 776.006. STAFF; ATTACHMENT. (a) The committee is
104	104	administratively attached to the State Soil and Water Conservation
105	105	Board.
106	106	(b) The State Soil and Water Conservation Board shall
107	107	provide one full-time equivalent employee to serve as committee
108	108	coordinator.
109	109	Sec. 776.007. SUNSET PROVISION. (a) The committee is
110	110	subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in
111	111	existence as provided by that chapter, the committee is abolished
112	112	and this chapter expires September 1, 2013.
113	113	(b) To the extent that Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act) places
114	114	a duty on a state agency subject to review under that chapter, the
115	115	State Soil and Water Conservation Board shall perform the duty as it
116	116	relates to the committee.
117	117	SECTION 2. Not later than November 1, 2009, the
118	118	administrative head of each member agency of the Texas Invasive
119	119	Species Coordinating Committee shall designate the agency's
120	120	initial representative and alternate representative as provided by
121	121	Section 776.003, Government Code, as added by this Act.
122	122	SECTION 3. Not later than February 1, 2010, the Texas
123	123	Invasive Species Coordinating Committee shall hold its first
124	124	meeting and adopt bylaws as required by Section 776.005, Government
125	125	Code, as added by this Act.
126	126	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.