| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to certain committees and programs to develop the wine |
|
|
industry in this state through the Department of Agriculture. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 50B.002, Agriculture |
|
|
Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 50B.002. WINE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT [AND MARKETING] |
|
|
ADVISORY COMMITTEE. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 50B.002, Agriculture Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (b-1) and |
|
|
(g) to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The commissioner shall appoint a wine industry |
|
|
development [and marketing] advisory committee to: |
|
|
(1) develop a long-term vision and marketable identity |
|
|
for the wine industry in the state that take into consideration |
|
|
future industry development, funding, research, educational |
|
|
programming, risk management, and marketing; [and] |
|
|
(2) assist the commissioner in establishing and |
|
|
implementing the Texas Wine Marketing Assistance Program under |
|
|
Chapter 110, Alcoholic Beverage Code; and |
|
|
(3) assist and advise the commissioner in determining |
|
|
the best and most productive and efficient expenditures of the wine |
|
|
industry development fund. |
|
|
(b) The committee consists of members appointed by the |
|
|
commissioner to [who] represent a diverse cross-section of the wine |
|
|
industry, including representatives of: |
|
|
(1) grape growers representing various regions of this |
|
|
state; |
|
|
(2) wineries representing a variety of small, medium, |
|
|
and large formats from the various regions of this state; |
|
|
(3) [wholesalers;
|
|
|
[(4) package stores;
|
|
|
[(5) retailers;
|
|
|
[(6)] researchers or educators specializing in |
|
|
viticulture or enology; |
|
|
(4) [(7)] consumers who are not affiliated with the |
|
|
alcoholic beverage industry; |
|
|
(5) [(8)] the department; and |
|
|
(6) [(9)] the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. |
|
|
(b-1) The members described by Subsections (b)(4) and (6) |
|
|
are nonvoting members. |
|
|
(g) Not later than September 1 of each year, the committee |
|
|
shall provide the commissioner with a written report containing: |
|
|
(1) a summary of the committee's discussions, |
|
|
conclusions, and recommendations from the fiscal year preceding |
|
|
that date; |
|
|
(2) a proposed schedule and plan of action for the |
|
|
fiscal year beginning on that date designed to implement and |
|
|
further the objectives of this chapter and Chapter 110, Alcoholic |
|
|
Beverage Code; |
|
|
(3) a proposed budget and prioritized spending plan |
|
|
for expenditures of the wine industry development fund; and |
|
|
(4) other information requested by the commissioner or |
|
|
determined by a majority of the committee to be appropriate for |
|
|
inclusion in the report. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Chapter 50B, Agriculture Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Section 50B.0025 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 50B.0025. ANNUAL PLAN AND BUDGET. Not later than |
|
|
November 1 of each year, the commissioner shall prepare for the |
|
|
current fiscal year the schedule and plan of action and budget and |
|
|
prioritized spending plan described by Section 50B.002(g), |
|
|
considering the recommendations of the committee under that section |
|
|
and following them to the extent the commissioner considers |
|
|
appropriate. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Section 50B.003(b), Agriculture Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) Except as provided by Sections 205.03(l), (m), and (n), |
|
|
Alcoholic Beverage Code, money [Money] in the account may be |
|
|
appropriated only to the department and may be used only for the |
|
|
purpose of: |
|
|
(1) providing funding to public or private entities to |
|
|
conduct surveys, research, and other projects related to: |
|
|
(A) developing the Texas wine industry; |
|
|
(B) developing viticulture and enology-related |
|
|
education programs; |
|
|
(C) eliminating and eradicating [Pierce's
|
|
|
disease, the glassy-winged sharpshooter, and other] diseases and |
|
|
pests that negatively impact the production of grapes and wine in |
|
|
the United States; and |
|
|
(D) developing technologies or practices that |
|
|
could benefit the production of grapes and wine; and |
|
|
(2) any administrative costs the department incurs in |
|
|
fulfilling the purposes described by Subdivision (1). |
|
|
SECTION 5. Section 50B.0015, Agriculture Code, is repealed. |
|
|
SECTION 6. On the effective date of this Act, the wine |
|
|
industry development and marketing advisory committee is |
|
|
abolished. The commissioner of agriculture may appoint a person |
|
|
who previously served on that committee to the wine industry |
|
|
development advisory committee established under Section 50B.002, |
|
|
Agriculture Code, as amended by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |