Sec. 2.004. AGRICULTURE POLICY BOARD. (a) The Agriculture Policy Board, through research and analysis, shall advocate and recommend strategies for agriculture that enhance agriculture production, income, and employment, that benefit consumers, and that promote efficient and sustainable use of natural resources.
(b) The board is composed of the following voting members:
(1) the commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture;
(2) the chair of the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee;
(3) three members of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the house, preferably with expertise in agriculture or from predominately rural or agriculturally oriented districts; and
(4) four members of the senate to be appointed by the lieutenant governor, preferably with expertise in agriculture or from predominately rural or agriculturally oriented districts.
(c) The members of the board shall elect from its membership a chair.
(d) Employees of the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee and the Senate Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Agriculture shall provide staff services for the board.
(e) The board shall continue the development of agriculture policy guidelines consistent with Section 2.003 and shall:
(1) review all legislation that will impact agriculture in this state for compliance with the guidelines;
(2) review all agriculture budget issues for compliance with the guidelines and establish priorities for agriculture-related research and agency budgets related to agriculture;
(3) review all current statutes that affect agriculture in this state for compliance with the guidelines; and
(4) review all agency rulemaking authority for compliance with the guidelines.
(f) Service as a member of the board is an additional duty of the member's public office.
(g) Legislative members of the board serve two-year terms and membership on the board terminates if the member ceases membership in the legislature for any reason.
(h) A vacancy in an appointive position on the board is filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(i) Members of the board serve without compensation or reimbursement of expenses. Members shall be reimbursed in accordance with their public office.
(j) The board shall create a 15-member ad hoc advisory committee to assist the board in carrying out the official duties of the board. Members of the advisory committee serve without compensation or reimbursement of expenses.
(k) The board shall adopt rules necessary for the proceedings of the board.
Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1328, Sec. 1, eff. June 21, 2003.
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