| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to a waiver of fees by the Department of Agriculture and |
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| 8 | 6 | | the Parks and Wildlife Department for certain educational programs |
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| 9 | 7 | | involving aquaculture and hydroponics. |
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| 10 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 134.014, Agriculture Code, is amended to |
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| 12 | 10 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 11 | | Sec. 134.014. LICENSE FEES; WAIVERS. (a) The department |
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| 14 | 12 | | shall issue an aquaculture license or a fish farm vehicle license on |
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| 15 | 13 | | completion of applicable license requirements and the payment of a |
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| 16 | 14 | | fee by the applicant, as provided by department rule. |
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| 17 | 15 | | (b) The department by rule shall waive the initial and |
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| 18 | 16 | | renewal aquaculture license fees if the license or license renewal |
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| 19 | 17 | | is requested by a public school to establish and maintain an |
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| 20 | 18 | | educational program that will give students experience with a |
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| 21 | 19 | | sustainable system of agriculture that mixes aquaculture and |
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| 22 | 20 | | hydroponics. To qualify for the fee waiver, the school must submit |
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| 23 | 21 | | an application to the department showing that the school's program |
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| 24 | 22 | | meets the department's requirements, including requirements for |
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| 25 | 23 | | supervision, handling of the fish species, and control of wastes. |
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| 26 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Section 66.007, Parks and Wildlife Code, is |
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| 27 | 25 | | amended by adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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| 28 | 26 | | (c-1) The commission by rule shall waive the initial and |
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| 29 | 27 | | renewal fees for an exotic species permit if the permit or permit |
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| 30 | 28 | | renewal is requested by a public school to establish and maintain an |
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| 31 | 29 | | educational program that will give students experience with a |
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| 32 | 30 | | sustainable system of agriculture that mixes aquaculture and |
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| 33 | 31 | | hydroponics. To qualify for the fee waiver, the school must submit |
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| 34 | 32 | | an application to the department showing that the school's program |
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| 35 | 33 | | meets the department's requirements, including requirements for |
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| 36 | 34 | | supervision, handling of the exotic species, and control of wastes. |
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| 37 | 35 | | SECTION 3. (a) The Department of Agriculture shall adopt |
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| 38 | 36 | | rules required to implement Section 134.014, Agriculture Code, as |
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| 39 | 37 | | amended by this Act, not later than December 31, 2015. |
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| 40 | 38 | | (b) The Parks and Wildlife Commission shall adopt rules |
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| 41 | 39 | | required to implement Section 66.007(c-1), Parks and Wildlife Code, |
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| 42 | 40 | | as added by this Act, not later than December 31, 2015. |
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| 43 | 41 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 44 | 42 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 45 | 43 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 46 | 44 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 47 | 45 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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| 46 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 47 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 48 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1204 passed the Senate on |
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| 49 | + | April 9, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 50 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 52 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1204 passed the House on |
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| 53 | + | May 19, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, two |
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| 54 | + | present not voting. |
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| 55 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 56 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 57 | + | Approved: |
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| 58 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 59 | + | Date |
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| 60 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 61 | + | Governor |
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