| 1 | 1 | | 84R18745 BEF-F |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: González, Márquez H.B. No. 798 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 798: |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | By: Rinaldi C.S.H.B. No. 798 |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | relating to a task force to study methods to prevent the theft of |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | desert plants. |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, is amended by |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | adding Section 12.052 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 12.052. STUDY OF METHODS TO PREVENT DESERT PLANT |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | THEFT. (a) Not later than December 1, 2015, the commissioner shall |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | appoint a task force to study methods to prevent the theft of desert |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | plants from private property, including the following genera of |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | plants: |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (1) Agave; |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (2) Ariocarpus; |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (3) Echinocactus; |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (4) Echinocereus; |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (5) Ferocactus; |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (6) Fouquieria; |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (7) Mammillaria; and |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (8) Yucca. |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (b) The task force shall study the sale and transportation |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | of desert plants and methods to prevent the theft of desert plants |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | from private property. The task force may study the feasibility and |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | effectiveness of: |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (1) implementing registration requirements for |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | persons who sell or transport desert plants; |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (2) requiring persons who sell or transport desert |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | plants to enter into a compliance agreement with a state agency; |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (3) requiring persons who sell or transport desert |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | plants to document the origin of the plants; |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (4) authorizing a state agency to issue stop-sale |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | orders regarding or to seize desert plants that do not comply with |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | legal requirements; |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | (5) imposing civil, criminal, or administrative |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | penalties for persons who steal desert plants and for persons who |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | fail to comply with legal requirements governing the sale or |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | transportation of desert plants; and |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | (6) taking any other action to regulate the sale or |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | transportation of desert plants and prevent the theft of desert |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | plants, as determined by the task force. |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (c) Not later than December 1, 2016, the task force shall |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | submit to the house committees on agriculture and livestock and |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | appropriations a report that includes recommendations for |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | legislation to regulate the sale or transportation of desert plants |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | and prevent the theft of desert plants from private property. |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | (d) This section expires December 31, 2016. |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
|---|