88(4) HB 17 - Introduced version - Bill Text

	88S40046 KBB-D
	By:  Tepper	H.B.  No.  17

Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the establishment of an agriculture disaster relief
	grant program; making an appropriation.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION  1.    Title 2, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding
	Chapter 22 to read as follows:
	CHAPTER 22. AGRICULTURE DISASTER RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM
	Sec.  22.001.    DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
	(1)    "Category D2 drought" means a severe drought as
	defined by the United States Drought Monitor.
	(2)    "Category D3 drought" means an extreme drought as
	defined by the United States Drought Monitor.
	(3)    "Program" means the agriculture disaster relief
	grant program established by this chapter.
	Sec.  22.002.    ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The
	department shall establish the agriculture disaster relief grant
	program to provide block grant disaster relief funding to
	applicants for necessary expenses related to losses of revenue by
	cotton infrastructure as a consequence of natural disasters
	involving drought for the 2022 or 2023 crop year.
	(b)    The department shall adopt rules to implement and
	administer the program.
	Sec.  22.003.    GRANT PROGRAM FUND. (a) The agriculture
	disaster relief grant program fund is an account in the general
	revenue fund. The fund is composed of:
	(1)    money appropriated to the department for deposit
	to the credit of the fund;
	(2)    money transferred by the department to the credit
	of the fund from other sources available to the department; and
	(3)    gifts, grants, and donations made to the
	department for the purpose of the fund.
	(b)    The fund may be used only by the department to award
	grants under the program.
	Sec.  22.004.    ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT PROGRAM. (a) To be
	eligible to receive a grant under the program, an applicant must
	meet the eligibility requirements established by department rule
	and show that:
	(1)    the grant will be used to support agricultural
	supply chain resiliency;
	(2)    the land for which the grant will be used is
	located in a county identified by the United States Drought Monitor
	as having a Category D2 drought for eight consecutive weeks or a
	Category D3 drought at any point during the 2022 or 2023 calendar
	year; and
	(3)    the applicant experienced a decline of at least 30
	percent in gross receipts or gross revenue in the 2022 or 2023
	calendar year as compared to the previous calendar year.
	(b)    Grants under the program may not exceed $500,000 per
	applicant.
	Sec.  22.005.    EXPIRATION OF GRANT PROGRAM. This chapter
	expires September 1, 2025.
	SECTION  2.    As soon as practicable after the effective date
	of this Act, the Department of Agriculture shall adopt rules and
	procedures required to implement and administer Chapter 22,
	Agriculture Code, as added by this Act.
	SECTION  3.    (a) Section 8.73, Chapter 458 (S.B. 30), Acts of
	the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023 (the Supplemental
	Appropriations Act), is repealed.
	(b)    Notwithstanding Subsection (a) of this section, the
	Department of Agriculture may expend amounts appropriated by former
	Section 8.73, Chapter 458 (S.B. 30), Acts of the 88th Legislature,
	Regular Session, 2023 (the Supplemental Appropriations Act), for a
	purpose provided by the former law if the amounts were obligated for
	that purpose before the effective date of this Act.
	SECTION  4.    (a) All unobligated and unexpended balances
	remaining as of the effective date of this Act from appropriations
	made by former Section 8.73, Chapter 458 (S.B. 30), Acts of the 88th