| 2 | 4 | | |
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| 3 | 5 | | |
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| 4 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 8 | | relating to a study of the effectiveness of rules implemented by the |
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| 7 | 9 | | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department governing the management of |
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| 8 | 10 | | chronic wasting disease and of cervid resistance to chronic wasting |
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| 9 | 11 | | disease. |
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| 10 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 13 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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| 12 | 14 | | (1) "Chronic wasting disease" means a transmissible |
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| 13 | 15 | | spongiform encephalopathy infecting cervids. |
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| 14 | 16 | | (2) "Department" means the Texas Parks and Wildlife |
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| 15 | 17 | | Department. |
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| 16 | 18 | | SECTION 2. STUDY OF RULES AND POLICIES RELATING TO CHRONIC |
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| 17 | 19 | | WASTING DISEASE REQUIRED. (a) Using existing resources, the |
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| 18 | 20 | | department shall conduct a study assessing the effectiveness of all |
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| 19 | 21 | | agency rules and policies pertaining to the containment and |
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| 20 | 22 | | management of chronic wasting disease. |
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| 21 | 23 | | (b) The study required by Subsection (a) shall, to the |
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| 22 | 24 | | extent practicable: |
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| 23 | 25 | | (1) include a comparative analysis of the applicable |
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| 24 | 26 | | rules and policies implemented by the department and agencies of |
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| 25 | 27 | | other state governments responsible for containing and managing |
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| 26 | 28 | | chronic wasting disease; |
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| 27 | 29 | | (2) assess the overall benefits and deficiencies of |
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| 28 | 30 | | the applicable rules and policies; |
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| 29 | 31 | | (3) include a comparative analysis of cervid genotypes |
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| 30 | 32 | | to determine resistance to chronic wasting disease; and |
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| 31 | 33 | | (4) incorporate scientific and statistical data. |
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| 32 | 34 | | SECTION 3. PUBLIC INPUT REQUIRED. In conducting the study |
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| 33 | 35 | | required under Section 2(a), the department shall: |
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| 34 | 36 | | (1) hold a hearing in a publicly accessible location |
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| 35 | 37 | | to provide a public forum for the submission of written and oral |
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| 36 | 38 | | testimony from members of the public regarding the applicable rules |
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| 37 | 39 | | and policies; and |
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| 38 | 40 | | (2) provide an online forum on the department's |
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| 39 | 41 | | Internet website through which members of the public may submit |
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| 40 | 42 | | commentary regarding the applicable rules and policies for not less |
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| 41 | 43 | | than 60 days; and |
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| 42 | 44 | | (3) respond to each public comment submitted during |
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| 43 | 45 | | the hearing or through the Internet portal required by Subdivisions |
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| 44 | 46 | | (1) and (2) respectively. |
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| 45 | 47 | | SECTION 4. SUBMISSION DEADLINE. (a) Not later than |
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| 46 | 48 | | December 1, 2026, the department shall complete the study required |
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| 47 | 49 | | by Section 2(a) and provide a report regarding the study's findings |
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| 48 | 50 | | to: |
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| 49 | 51 | | (1) the governor; |
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| 50 | 52 | | (2) the lieutenant governor; |
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| 51 | 53 | | (3) the speaker of the house of representatives; |
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| 52 | 54 | | (4) each member of the committee of the senate having |
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| 53 | 55 | | primary jurisdiction over wildlife matters; and |
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| 54 | 56 | | (5) each member of the committee of the house of |
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| 55 | 57 | | representatives having primary jurisdiction over wildlife matters. |
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| 56 | 58 | | (b) The department shall make the report required by |
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| 57 | 59 | | Subsection (a) available to any member of the Legislature or any |
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| 58 | 60 | | member of the public upon request and at no cost to the requestor. |
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| 59 | 61 | | SECTION 5. EXPIRATION. This Act expires May 31, 2027. |
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| 60 | 62 | | SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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| 61 | 63 | | 1, 2025. |
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