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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Global Agricultural Innovation Institute program |
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administered by the Department of Agriculture. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Title 3, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding |
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Chapter 50E to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 50E. GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION INSTITUTE |
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SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 50E.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Board" means the Global Agricultural Innovation |
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Institute Board. |
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(2) "Program" means the Global Agricultural |
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Innovation Institute program. |
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Sec. 50E.002. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER AND |
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DEPARTMENT. (a) The department shall administer this chapter and |
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may adopt rules necessary to implement this chapter. |
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(b) The commissioner may appoint or employ consultants or |
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other agents as necessary for the business of the program. |
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(c) The department may contract with any state institution |
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of higher education, state agency, domestic or foreign person, or |
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federal agency to perform services or provide facilities for the |
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board. |
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Sec. 50E.003. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. Notwithstanding any |
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other provision of this chapter, the department is not required to |
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grant awards or otherwise implement this chapter and the |
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commissioner is not required to appoint board members unless the |
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department accepts a gift, grant, or donation of money or real or |
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personal property for the purpose of implementing this chapter. |
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SUBCHAPTER B. GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION INSTITUTE PROGRAM |
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Sec. 50E.051. PROGRAM ESTABLISHED. The department may |
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establish the program to enhance and create developing |
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technologies, recruit businesses to this state, develop businesses |
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in this state, and enhance and create markets to advance and promote |
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the sale of Texas agricultural products and services worldwide. |
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Sec. 50E.052. AWARDS. The department may award grants of |
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money from the Global Agricultural Innovation Institute account and |
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real or personal property held outside the account to further the |
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purposes of the program. The use of the award is restricted by the |
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terms of the award. The department may use only money or property |
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received under Section 50E.054 to grant an award under this |
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chapter. |
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Sec. 50E.053. PROGRAM ACCOUNT. (a) The Global |
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Agricultural Innovation Institute account is an account in the |
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general revenue fund. The account is composed of: |
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(1) gifts, grants, and donations of money received |
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under Section 50E.054; and |
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(2) other money required by law to be deposited in the |
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account. |
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(b) Money in the account may be appropriated only to the |
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department for the purpose of the program. |
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(c) Income from money in the account shall be credited to |
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the account. |
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(d) The account is exempt from the application of Section |
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403.095, Government Code. |
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Sec. 50E.054. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The board and |
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the department may solicit, accept, and use gifts, grants, and |
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donations of money or real or personal property from public and |
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private sources for the purposes of this chapter, subject only to |
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limitations contained in the gifts, grants, or donations. |
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SUBCHAPTER C. GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION INSTITUTE BOARD |
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Sec. 50E.101. MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS. (a) The board is |
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composed of: |
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(1) the commissioner or the commissioner's designee; |
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(2) one representative of each of the following, |
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appointed by the commissioner: |
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(A) The Texas A&M University System; |
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(B) The University of Texas System; |
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(C) the Texas Tech University System; |
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(D) the Texas State University System; |
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(E) the University of Houston System; |
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(F) the University of North Texas System; |
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(G) independent institutions of higher education |
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in this state; |
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(H) private institutions of higher education in |
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this state; |
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(I) the agriculture marketing industry; |
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(J) international agricultural financing |
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businesses; |
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(K) the livestock industry in this state; |
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(L) the crop production industry in this state; |
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(M) international trade; |
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(N) the horticultural industry in this state; and |
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(O) humanitarian interests; and |
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(3) at least four additional at-large members |
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appointed by the commissioner who represent diverse sectors of the |
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agricultural industry. |
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(b) Members appointed under Subsections (a)(2) and (3) |
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serve staggered six-year terms, with as near as possible to |
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one-third of the members' terms expiring on February 1 of each |
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odd-numbered year. |
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(c) The board members shall nominate and elect a board |
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member as chair. The chair serves a one-year term. A person who has |
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served as chair for three consecutive terms is not eligible for |
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reelection as chair until the third anniversary of the date the |
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person last served as chair. |
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(d) Membership on the board by a state officer or employee |
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is an additional duty of the officer's or employee's employment. |
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(e) A board member is not a state officer for purposes of |
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Section 572.021, Government Code, solely because of the member's |
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service on the board. Board members otherwise required to comply |
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with Section 572.021, Government Code, are not exempt from that |
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requirement as a result of service on the board. |
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Sec. 50E.102. DUTIES OF BOARD. (a) The board shall advise |
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the department in the administration of the program. |
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(b) The board shall select the recipients of and grant all |
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awards, contracts, and partnerships related to the program. |
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(c) The board may conduct surveys, research, or |
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investigations for the purposes of the program. |
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Sec. 50E.103. MEETINGS. (a) The board shall meet at least |
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twice each year at the call of the chair. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, the board |
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may hold an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call if |
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immediate action is required and the convening at one location of a |
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quorum of the board is inconvenient for any member of the board. |
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(c) The meeting held by telephone conference call is subject |
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to the notice requirements applicable to other meetings. |
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(d) The notice of a meeting held by telephone conference |
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call must specify as the location of the meeting the location where |
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meetings of the board are usually held. |
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(e) Each part of a meeting held by telephone conference call |
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that is required to be open to the public shall be audible to the |
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public at the location specified in the notice of the meeting as the |
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location of the meeting and shall be recorded. |
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Sec. 50E.104. COMPENSATION. (a) A member of the board is |
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not entitled to compensation for service on the board. |
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(b) A member of the board is entitled to reimbursement for |
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travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting board |
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business. |
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Sec. 50E.105. STAFF AND RESOURCES. (a) The commissioner |
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shall provide the board with necessary staff and resources to |
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perform the board's duties under this chapter, as determined by the |
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commissioner during the state fiscal biennium in which the board is |
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established and during the next state fiscal biennium. |
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(b) The board shall hire through an application and |
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interview process a chief executive officer. The board shall |
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determine the duties of the chief executive officer. |
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(c) After the period described by Subsection (a), the chief |
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executive officer shall employ staff necessary to implement the |
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program, shall have sole authority to employ and terminate |
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employees, and may appoint or employ consultants, professionals, or |
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other agents necessary to conduct the business of the program. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |