González Rodeo Bill Builds A New Board, Fund And Staff

The text as introduced · 1,189 words

90R344 PRL-D

By: González of El Paso
H.B. No. 480

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the Texas Livestock and Rodeo Education and

Continuation Grant Program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 4, Government Code, is amended

by adding Chapter 453 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 453. TEXAS LIVESTOCK AND RODEO EDUCATION AND CONTINUATION

GRANT PROGRAM

Sec. 453.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Board" means the Texas Livestock and Rodeo

Education and Continuation Board established under Section

453.003.

(2) "Fund" means the Texas Livestock and Rodeo

Education and Continuation Fund established under Section 453.002.

(3) "Grant program" means the Texas Livestock and

Rodeo Education and Continuation Grant Program established under

Section 453.006.

Sec. 453.002. TEXAS LIVESTOCK AND RODEO EDUCATION AND

CONTINUATION FUND; OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR DUTIES. (a) The Texas

Livestock and Rodeo Education and Continuation Fund is established

outside the state treasury. The administration of the fund is

considered to be a trusteed program within the office of the

governor.

(b) The fund consists of:

(1) money appropriated, credited, or transferred to

the fund by the legislature;

(2) gifts or grants contributed to the fund; and

(3) interest earned on the deposits and investments of

the fund.

(c) The fund may be used only to implement the grant program

established under Section 453.006, including the costs of grant

program administration and operation.

(d) The governor at the direction of the board may disburse

money from the fund without appropriation only as provided by this

chapter and rules adopted under this chapter.

(e) The governor in consultation with the board may adopt

rules necessary to implement this chapter.

Sec. 453.003. TEXAS LIVESTOCK AND RODEO EDUCATION AND

CONTINUATION BOARD. (a) The Texas Livestock and Rodeo Education

and Continuation Board consists of seven members appointed by the

governor.

(b) In appointing members to the board, the governor shall

ensure each member has demonstrated interest in issues related to

rodeos and county fairs in this state through:

(1) competing in rodeos; or

(2) previous service:

(A) on a board of a rodeo organization, county

fair organization, 4-H program, or Future Farmers of America

organization; or

(B) with an organization or program described by

Paragraph (A) in the preceding 15 years.

(c) The board must include at least:

(1) two members with rodeo experience; and

(2) two members with county fair experience.

(d) Each board member the governor appoints must represent a

different region of this state.

(e) A board member may not hold any other public office.

(f) A board member serves without compensation but is

entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in attending

board meetings and in performing board duties.

(g) If a vacancy occurs on the board, the governor shall

appoint a member to fill the vacancy. A member appointed to fill a

vacancy on the board shall serve the remainder of the unexpired

term.

(h) The board shall meet quarterly.

Sec. 453.004. BOARD MEMBER TERMS. Board members serve

staggered six-year terms with the terms of two or three members

expiring on January 1 of each even-numbered year. A board member may

not serve more than two terms.

Sec. 453.005. BOARD PRESIDING OFFICER AND ASSISTANT

PRESIDING OFFICER. (a) The governor shall select from among the

board members a presiding officer for the board who serves at the

pleasure of the governor.

(b) The board members shall elect an assistant presiding

officer from among the board members who serves at the pleasure of

the board.

(c) The presiding officer and assistant presiding officer

serve two-year terms.

Sec. 453.006. TEXAS LIVESTOCK AND RODEO EDUCATION AND

CONTINUATION GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The board shall establish and

administer the Texas Livestock and Rodeo Education and Continuation

Grant Program to award money from the fund to county fairs and local

rodeos for the purposes of assisting with:

(1) facility and infrastructure maintenance or

construction;

(2) event programs;

(3) personnel salaries; and

(4) public health and safety.

(b) To be eligible for a grant award under the grant

program, an applicant must:

(1) apply in the manner the board prescribes;

(2) be in good standing under the laws of this state;

(3) specify the manner in which the grant money would

benefit county livestock programs or local youth agricultural

programs within the county; and

(4) demonstrate a legitimate need for the grant money

that provides a public benefit to this state in accordance with

board rules.

(c) The board may only award a grant in accordance with a

contract between the board and a grant recipient that includes

conditions providing the board with sufficient control to ensure

the public purpose of continuing to promote and improve this

state's livestock and agricultural programs and to educate the

public regarding those programs is accomplished and this state

receives a return benefit.

(d) Each local rodeo or county fair applicant awarded a

grant under the grant program shall submit:

(1) for a rodeo or county fair with an operating budget

greater than $10 million, a report on the economic impact

attributable to the preparation for and presentation of the rodeo

or fair in the area served by the rodeo or fair; or

(2) for a rodeo or county fair with an operating budget

less than $10 million, a report demonstrating the economic

development needs of the community.

(e) The board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement

this section.

Sec. 453.007. PERSONNEL. The board shall employ the

officers and employees necessary to administer this chapter.

Sec. 453.008. BIENNIAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of

each even-numbered year, the board shall prepare and submit to each

member of the legislature a report that includes:

(1) the fund balance as of the date of the report;

(2) the total amount of grant money awarded under and

other disbursements from the fund during the two preceding state

fiscal years;

(3) the number of grant applications submitted to the

board during the two preceding state fiscal years; and

(4) the economic impact reports and community need

reports submitted to the board during the two preceding state

fiscal years.

SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2028, the governor

shall appoint members to the Texas Livestock and Rodeo Education

and Continuation Board and select a presiding officer from among

the members of the board as required by Chapter 453, Government

Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 453.004, Government Code, as

added by this Act, in making the initial appointments to the Texas

Livestock and Rodeo Education and Continuation Board under

Subsection (a) of this section, the governor shall designate two

members to serve terms expiring January 1, 2030, two members to

serve terms expiring January 1, 2032, and three members to serve

terms expiring January 1, 2034.

SECTION 3. As soon as practicable following the effective

date of this Act, the Texas Livestock and Rodeo Education and

Continuation Board shall adopt the rules necessary to administer

the Texas Livestock and Rodeo Education and Continuation Grant

Program established under Section 453.006, Government Code, as

added by this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.