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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to changing the name of the Department of Agriculture. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Effective January 1, 2016, Sections 1.003(1) and |
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(2), Agriculture Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of |
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agriculture and consumer protection. |
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(2) "Department" means the Department of Agriculture |
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and Consumer Protection. |
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SECTION 2. Effective January 1, 2016, Chapter 1, |
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Agriculture Code, is amended by adding Section 1.004 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 1.004. COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER |
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PROTECTION; DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION. (a) |
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The commissioner of agriculture is renamed the commissioner of |
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agriculture and consumer protection. The Department of Agriculture |
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is renamed the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection. |
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(b) A reference in law to the commissioner of agriculture |
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means the commissioner of agriculture and consumer protection. |
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(c) A reference in law to the Department of Agriculture |
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means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Effective January 1, 2016: |
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(1) all powers, duties, rights, and obligations of the |
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commissioner of agriculture and the Department of Agriculture are |
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the powers, duties, rights, and obligations of the commissioner of |
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agriculture and consumer protection or the Department of |
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Agriculture and Consumer Protection, as applicable; and |
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(2) any appropriation to the Department of Agriculture |
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is an appropriation to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer |
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Protection. |
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(b) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection |
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is the successor to the Department of Agriculture in all respects. |
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All personnel, equipment, data, documents, facilities, contracts, |
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items, other property, rules, decisions, and proceedings of or |
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involving the Department of Agriculture are unaffected by the |
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change in the name of the agency. |
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(c) The Department of Agriculture shall adopt a timetable |
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for phasing in the change of the agency's name so as to minimize the |
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fiscal impact of the name change. Until January 1, 2016, to allow |
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for phasing in the change of the agency's name and in accordance |
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with the timetable established as required by this section, the |
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commissioner of agriculture or the Department of Agriculture may |
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perform any act authorized by law for the commissioner or the |
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department as the commissioner of agriculture or the Department of |
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Agriculture or as the commissioner of agriculture and consumer |
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protection or the Department of Agriculture and Consumer |
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Protection, as appropriate. Any act of the commissioner of |
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agriculture or the Department of Agriculture acting as the |
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commissioner of agriculture and consumer protection or the |
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Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection on or after the |
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effective date of this section and before January 1, 2016, is an act |
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of the commissioner of agriculture or the Department of |
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Agriculture, as appropriate. |
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SECTION 4. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this |
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Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of |
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all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, |
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Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the |
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vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect |
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September 1, 2015, except as otherwise provided by this Act. |