BILL ANALYSIS

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

State law provides for maturity and fitness standards for the sale of citrus fruit. However, there is no distinction in the standards between a piece of fruit sold for consumption and a piece of fruit to be processed into juice. While some fruit may not meet selling standards and therefore must be disposed of or destroyed, there may be value in that fruit for juicing, which is covered under federal standards.

H.B. 2840 addresses this issue by exempting grapefruit and oranges that are processed for juice from statutory provisions governing citrus fruit maturity standards.

H.B. 2840 amends current law relating to the inapplicability of state citrus fruit maturity standards to grapefruit and oranges processed for juice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 94.002, Agriculture Code, to include grapefruit or oranges that are processed for juice among the provisions to which Chapter 94 (Citrus Fruit Maturity Standards) does not apply, except to the extent specifically provided by Chapter 94.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2021.