| 1 | 1 | | By: Guerra, Munoz, Jr. (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa) H.B. No. 3761 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2013; |
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| 3 | 3 | | May 8, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on |
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| 4 | 4 | | Agriculture, Rural Affairs, and Homeland Security; May 20, 2013, |
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| 5 | 5 | | reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 3, Nays 0; |
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| 6 | 6 | | May 20, 2013, sent to printer.) |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | |
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| 9 | 9 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 10 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 11 | 11 | | relating to a feasibility report on the creation of a border |
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| 12 | 12 | | agricultural inspection training program. |
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| 13 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, is amended by |
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| 15 | 15 | | adding Section 12.049 to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 12.049. FEASIBILITY REPORT ON BORDER AGRICULTURAL |
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| 17 | 17 | | INSPECTION TRAINING PROGRAM. (a) The department shall consider the |
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| 18 | 18 | | feasibility of creating and administering a program to: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) train department employees to meet federal |
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| 20 | 20 | | standards for agricultural inspectors performing inspections, |
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| 21 | 21 | | other than inspections of animals as defined by Section 161.001, at |
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| 22 | 22 | | ports of entry along the border with the United Mexican States; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) allow department employees trained as provided by |
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| 24 | 24 | | Subdivision (1) to assist the United States Customs and Border |
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| 25 | 25 | | Protection and the United States Department of Agriculture with |
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| 26 | 26 | | agricultural inspections, other than inspections of animals as |
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| 27 | 27 | | defined by Section 161.001, at ports of entry along the border with |
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| 28 | 28 | | the United Mexican States with the goal of reducing the wait time |
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| 29 | 29 | | for an agricultural inspection of a vehicle. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) The department shall determine whether any agreements |
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| 31 | 31 | | with the federal government are required to implement a program |
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| 32 | 32 | | described by Subsection (a) and the nature of those agreements. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (c) Not later than December 31, 2014, the department shall |
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| 34 | 34 | | submit a report to the committees of each house of the legislature |
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| 35 | 35 | | with primary jurisdiction over agriculture concerning the |
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| 36 | 36 | | feasibility of a program described by Subsection (a) and the nature |
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| 37 | 37 | | of any agreements with the federal government required to implement |
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| 38 | 38 | | the program. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (d) This section expires August 31, 2015. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 41 | 41 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 42 | 42 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 44 | 44 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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| 45 | 45 | | * * * * * |
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