BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1275 By: Gonzlez, Mary Public Health Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In 2001, because of several confirmed bovine tuberculosis cases in El Paso and Hudspeth Counties, the Texas Animal Health Commission established a movement restriction zone in those counties, effectively prohibiting dairies from operating in the zone, and the 77th Texas Legislature enacted a law prohibiting the issuance of a permit to sell milk for a producer dairy located in an area infected with or at a high risk for bovine tuberculosis. The U.S. Department of Agriculture bought out a number of dairy farms in the El Paso area, which were depopulated. The bill author has informed the committee that this resulted in a huge loss to El Paso County. According to an article from the West Texas County Courier about the buyout, at its height the El Paso dairy industry produced $40 million in annual revenue and created at least 200 jobs. However, the bill author has also informed the committee that there have been no confirmed cases of bovine tuberculosis in neighboring counties in the same region. C.S.H.B. 1275 seeks to allow dairy farming to continue in those counties by making the permit prohibition established by the 77th Texas Legislature applicable only to bovine producer dairy farm permits. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1275 amends the Healthy and Safety Code to make the prohibition against the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issuing a permit to sell milk for a producer dairy located in an area infected with or at a high risk for bovine tuberculosis applicable only with respect to a producer dairy farm permit issued for a bovine producer dairy farm. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025. COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE While C.S.H.B. 1275 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill. The introduced repealed the prohibition against DSHS issuing a permit to sell milk for a producer dairy located in an area infected with or at a high risk for bovine tuberculosis. The substitute does not repeal that prohibition but makes the prohibition applicable only with respect to a producer dairy farm permit issued for a bovine producer dairy farm.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 1275
By: Gonzlez, Mary
Public Health
Committee Report (Substituted)
C.S.H.B. 1275
By: Gonzlez, Mary
Public Health
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In 2001, because of several confirmed bovine tuberculosis cases in El Paso and Hudspeth Counties, the Texas Animal Health Commission established a movement restriction zone in those counties, effectively prohibiting dairies from operating in the zone, and the 77th Texas Legislature enacted a law prohibiting the issuance of a permit to sell milk for a producer dairy located in an area infected with or at a high risk for bovine tuberculosis. The U.S. Department of Agriculture bought out a number of dairy farms in the El Paso area, which were depopulated. The bill author has informed the committee that this resulted in a huge loss to El Paso County. According to an article from the West Texas County Courier about the buyout, at its height the El Paso dairy industry produced $40 million in annual revenue and created at least 200 jobs. However, the bill author has also informed the committee that there have been no confirmed cases of bovine tuberculosis in neighboring counties in the same region. C.S.H.B. 1275 seeks to allow dairy farming to continue in those counties by making the permit prohibition established by the 77th Texas Legislature applicable only to bovine producer dairy farm permits.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1275 amends the Healthy and Safety Code to make the prohibition against the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issuing a permit to sell milk for a producer dairy located in an area infected with or at a high risk for bovine tuberculosis applicable only with respect to a producer dairy farm permit issued for a bovine producer dairy farm.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE While C.S.H.B. 1275 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill. The introduced repealed the prohibition against DSHS issuing a permit to sell milk for a producer dairy located in an area infected with or at a high risk for bovine tuberculosis. The substitute does not repeal that prohibition but makes the prohibition applicable only with respect to a producer dairy farm permit issued for a bovine producer dairy farm.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In 2001, because of several confirmed bovine tuberculosis cases in El Paso and Hudspeth Counties, the Texas Animal Health Commission established a movement restriction zone in those counties, effectively prohibiting dairies from operating in the zone, and the 77th Texas Legislature enacted a law prohibiting the issuance of a permit to sell milk for a producer dairy located in an area infected with or at a high risk for bovine tuberculosis. The U.S. Department of Agriculture bought out a number of dairy farms in the El Paso area, which were depopulated. The bill author has informed the committee that this resulted in a huge loss to El Paso County. According to an article from the West Texas County Courier about the buyout, at its height the El Paso dairy industry produced $40 million in annual revenue and created at least 200 jobs. However, the bill author has also informed the committee that there have been no confirmed cases of bovine tuberculosis in neighboring counties in the same region. C.S.H.B. 1275 seeks to allow dairy farming to continue in those counties by making the permit prohibition established by the 77th Texas Legislature applicable only to bovine producer dairy farm permits.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 1275 amends the Healthy and Safety Code to make the prohibition against the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issuing a permit to sell milk for a producer dairy located in an area infected with or at a high risk for bovine tuberculosis applicable only with respect to a producer dairy farm permit issued for a bovine producer dairy farm.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE
While C.S.H.B. 1275 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.
The introduced repealed the prohibition against DSHS issuing a permit to sell milk for a producer dairy located in an area infected with or at a high risk for bovine tuberculosis. The substitute does not repeal that prohibition but makes the prohibition applicable only with respect to a producer dairy farm permit issued for a bovine producer dairy farm.