| 1 | 1 | | By: Watson S.B. No. 1454 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the study and approval of lethal pesticides for feral |
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| 7 | 7 | | hog control. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 76, Agriculture Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 76.048 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 76.048. FERAL HOG TOXICANTS; STUDY REQUIRED. (a) |
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| 12 | 12 | | Notwithstanding any other law, the department may not register or |
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| 13 | 13 | | otherwise approve for use in this state a lethal pesticide, |
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| 14 | 14 | | including warfarin, for feral hog control unless a study under |
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| 15 | 15 | | Subsection (b) recommends the pesticide be registered for that use. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) A state agency or institution of higher education may |
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| 17 | 17 | | perform a scientific study of potential feral hog control measures |
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| 18 | 18 | | in this state. The study must: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) include controlled field trials; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) examine the potential use of warfarin or other |
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| 21 | 21 | | lethal pesticides for feral hog control; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) assess the economic consequences to hunters, |
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| 23 | 23 | | hunting and sporting industries, agricultural interests, and |
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| 24 | 24 | | property owners of the control measures included in the study; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (4) assess the environmental consequences of the |
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| 26 | 26 | | control measures included in the study. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) A state agency or institution of higher education shall |
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| 28 | 28 | | publish the findings, recommendations, and results of a study under |
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| 29 | 29 | | Subsection (b) in the Texas Register. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (d) A state agency or institution of higher education that |
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| 31 | 31 | | performs a study under Subsection (b) is subject to Chapters 551 and |
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| 32 | 32 | | 552, Government Code, in connection with the study and any |
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| 33 | 33 | | meetings, hearings, or research conducted or public comments |
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| 34 | 34 | | received in connection with the study. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 36 | 36 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 37 | 37 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 39 | 39 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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