Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Texas House Bill HB2513 Compare Versions

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11 83R2212 BEF-F
22 By: Springer H.B. No. 2513
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55 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
66 AN ACT
77 relating to the elimination of obsolete and redundant reporting
88 requirements for the Department of Agriculture.
99 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1010 SECTION 1. Sections 58.016(b), (c), and (d), Agriculture
1111 Code, are amended to read as follows:
1212 (b) On or before August 1 of each year, the administrator
1313 shall file with the board the proposed annual budgets for the young
1414 farmer loan guarantee program under Subchapter E, the farm and
1515 ranch finance program under Chapter 59, and the programs
1616 administered by the board under this chapter for the succeeding
1717 fiscal year. If there is no administrator, the commissioner shall
1818 assume the duties of the administrator in connection with
1919 preparation of the budget. The budget must set forth the general
2020 categories of expected expenditures out of revenues and income of
2121 the funds administered by the authority and the amount on account of
2222 each. On or before September 1 of each year, the board shall
2323 consider the proposed annual budget and may approve it or amend it.
2424 [Copies of the annual budget certified by the chairman of the board
2525 shall be promptly filed with the governor and the legislature. The
2626 annual budget is not effective until it is filed.] If for any
2727 reason the authority does not adopt an annual budget before
2828 September 2, no expenditures may be made from the funds until the
2929 board approves the annual budget. The authority may adopt an
3030 amended annual budget for the current fiscal year[, but the amended
3131 annual budget may not supersede a prior budget until it is filed
3232 with the governor and the legislature].
3333 (c) The authority shall have an audit of its books and
3434 accounts for each fiscal year by a certified public accountant. The
3535 cost of the audit is an expense of the authority. [A copy of the
3636 audit shall be filed with the governor and the legislature on or
3737 before January 1 of each year.]
3838 (d) On or before January 1 of each year, the authority shall
3939 prepare a report of its activities for the preceding fiscal year.
4040 The report must set forth a complete operating and financial
4141 statement. [The authority shall file copies of the report with the
4242 governor and the legislature as soon as practicable.]
4343 SECTION 2. Section 487.051(a), Government Code, is amended
4444 to read as follows:
4545 (a) The office shall:
4646 (1) assist rural communities in the key areas of
4747 economic development, community development, rural health, and
4848 rural housing;
4949 (2) serve as a clearinghouse for information and
5050 resources on all state and federal programs affecting rural
5151 communities;
5252 (3) in consultation with rural community leaders,
5353 locally elected officials, state elected and appointed officials,
5454 academic and industry experts, and the interagency work group
5555 created under this chapter, identify and prioritize policy issues
5656 and concerns affecting rural communities in the state;
5757 (4) make recommendations to the legislature to address
5858 the concerns affecting rural communities identified under
5959 Subdivision (3);
6060 (5) monitor developments that have a substantial
6161 effect on rural Texas communities, especially actions of state
6262 government[, and compile an annual report describing and evaluating
6363 the condition of rural communities];
6464 (6) administer the federal community development
6565 block grant nonentitlement program;
6666 (7) administer programs supporting rural health care
6767 as provided by this chapter;
6868 (8) perform research to determine the most beneficial
6969 and cost-effective ways to improve the welfare of rural
7070 communities;
7171 (9) ensure that the office qualifies as the state's
7272 office of rural health for the purpose of receiving grants from the
7373 Office of Rural Health Policy of the United States Department of
7474 Health and Human Services under 42 U.S.C. Section 254r;
7575 (10) manage the state's Medicare rural hospital
7676 flexibility program under 42 U.S.C. Section 1395i-4;
7777 (11) seek state and federal money available for
7878 economic development in rural areas for programs under this
7979 chapter;
8080 (12) in conjunction with other offices and divisions
8181 of the Department of Agriculture, regularly cross-train office
8282 employees with other employees of the Department of Agriculture
8383 regarding the programs administered and services provided to rural
8484 communities; and
8585 (13) work with interested persons to assist volunteer
8686 fire departments and emergency services districts in rural areas.
8787 SECTION 3. Section 487.804(b), Government Code, is amended
8888 to read as follows:
8989 (b) Not later than January 1 of each even-numbered year, the
9090 commissioner shall submit to the legislature a report of the
9191 findings of the advisory council and the activities of the Texas
9292 Rural Foundation.
9393 SECTION 4. The following provisions are repealed:
9494 (1) Section 15.006, Agriculture Code;
9595 (2) Sections 102.167(e) and (f), Agriculture Code;
9696 (3) Section 487.056, Government Code; and
9797 (4) Section 487.653, Government Code.
9898 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
9999 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
100100 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
101101 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
102102 Act takes effect September 1, 2013.