| 1 | 1 | | 89R9 KBT-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Plesa H.B. No. 1592 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to an alert system for dangerous plant and wildlife pests |
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| 10 | 10 | | and diseases administered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension |
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| 11 | 11 | | Service. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter K, Chapter 88, Education Code, is |
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| 14 | 14 | | amended by adding Section 88.823 to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 88.823. PEST, DISEASE, AND QUARANTINE ALERT SYSTEM. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (a) With the cooperation of the Department of Agriculture, the |
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| 17 | 17 | | Texas Animal Health Commission, and the Parks and Wildlife |
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| 18 | 18 | | Department, the extension service shall develop and implement a |
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| 19 | 19 | | statewide Internet-based alert system for notifications related to |
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| 20 | 20 | | wildlife and plant pests, diseases, and quarantines. The alert |
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| 21 | 21 | | system must issue notifications for: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) a confirmed case of a dangerous plant or wildlife |
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| 23 | 23 | | pest or disease; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) the establishment, modification, or removal of a |
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| 25 | 25 | | pest or disease quarantine order; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) any compliance agreements entered into with the |
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| 27 | 27 | | Department of Agriculture related to a pest or disease quarantine. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) The alert system established under this section must: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) issue notifications through e-mail; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) provide for enrollment in the alert system for |
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| 31 | 31 | | delivery of a system notification. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (c) The extension service shall enter into a memorandum of |
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| 33 | 33 | | understanding with the Department of Agriculture, the Texas Animal |
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| 34 | 34 | | Health Commission, and the Parks and Wildlife Department to ensure |
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| 35 | 35 | | the extension service is able to issue a required notification |
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| 36 | 36 | | under Subsection (a) within 72 hours of an applicable action by |
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| 37 | 37 | | those agencies. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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