HBA-BSM H.B. 634 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 634
By: Turner, Sylvester
Agriculture & Livestock
2/26/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the Department of Agriculture is required to develop a
program to award grants to urban public elementary schools for
demonstration-based agriculture projects.  The existing statute is
restrictive with respect to the projects and schools that are eligible for
grant funding.  House Bill 634 widens the parameters for agricultural
learning projects in urban schools by including non- demonstration
projects, and also encourages a more widespread involvement from individual
schools. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly granted to the Department of Agriculture in SECTION
1 (Section 46.001, Agriculture Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 634 amends the Agriculture Code to require the Department of
Agriculture (department) to develop by rule a program to award grants to
public elementary schools located in large urban districts for the purpose
of establishing projects designed to foster an understanding and awareness
of agriculture in addition to demonstration agricultural projects.  The
bill removes a provision that makes a school eligible to receive a grant
under this chapter if it located in a school district with an enrollment of
at least 45,000 students and more than $25,000 is appropriated for the
purpose of an agricultural project.  The bill also removes the restriction
that prohibits the department from awarding a grant to more than one school
within the same school district in a school year. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.