| 1 | 1 | | 88R20490 MP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: González of Dallas, Rose, Anderson, H.B. No. 2886 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Guillen, Walle, et al. |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to the establishment of the office of food system security |
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| 9 | 9 | | and resiliency in the Department of Agriculture. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | adding Section 12.052 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 12.052. OFFICE OF FOOD SYSTEM SECURITY AND RESILIENCY. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (a) In this section, "office" means the office of food system |
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| 15 | 15 | | security and resiliency established by this section. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) The office of food system security and resiliency is |
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| 17 | 17 | | established as a division within the department. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (c) The office is responsible for food system security and |
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| 19 | 19 | | resiliency in this state, including: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) coordinating state resources and programs so food |
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| 21 | 21 | | access industry professionals can efficiently use resources to meet |
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| 22 | 22 | | the needs of this state; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) ensuring a food system in this state that is free |
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| 24 | 24 | | of disruption; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) promoting the growth, manufacture, and processing |
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| 26 | 26 | | of agricultural products in this state for farm-to-store and |
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| 27 | 27 | | farm-to-table consumption; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (4) developing regional food system security and |
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| 29 | 29 | | resiliency planning by working with other state agencies, counties, |
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| 30 | 30 | | municipalities, school districts, and local governments; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (5) promoting policies to establish more localized |
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| 32 | 32 | | food markets or food access points through measures such as: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (A) connecting retailers, distributors, |
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| 34 | 34 | | municipalities, counties, school districts, and other local |
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| 35 | 35 | | governments to local producers; and |
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| 36 | 36 | | (B) collaborating with local stakeholders to |
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| 37 | 37 | | expand food access across this state. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (d) The office shall, not later than December 1 of each |
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| 39 | 39 | | even-numbered year, make recommendations to the legislature for |
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| 40 | 40 | | legislation that may improve food system security and resiliency in |
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| 41 | 41 | | this state. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (e) If the Texas food system security and resiliency |
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| 43 | 43 | | planning council is established by an Act of the 88th Legislature, |
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| 44 | 44 | | Regular Session, 2023, the office shall manage that council and |
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| 45 | 45 | | coordinate with that council to implement Subsection (c)(5). |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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