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Texas Agriculture Archive

April 18, 2003

Your legislative efforts are
needed, appreciated!

Although the Texas Farm Bureau is keeping a close watch on over 500 bills this legislative session, there are a few in particular that the organization has been working to ensure their passage into law. These pieces of legislation were brought to members of the House and Senate by the Texas Farm Bureau and are considered priority issues for the organization. We would like to take this opportunity to update you on the movement of these bills.

House Bill 803 by State Rep. Charlie Geren was voted out of the House Committee on Natural Resources on March 26. Rep. Geren's bill requires a municipality to compensate landowners for the fair market value of water rights, in addition to the land under condemnation. Currently, the landowner is only compensated for the land. HB 803 is expected to be scheduled for a vote in the House of Representatives within the next two weeks.

Two bills protecting the private information of livestock producers were voted favorably from the respective committees in the House and Senate. Rep. Hilderbran and Sen. Wentworth authored identical legislation that protects livestock producers by exempting their personal information from the open records law. The bills prohibit the Texas Department of Agriculture from disclosing the name, address, or telephone number of a person who utilizes a predator control device. HB 1452 by Rep. Hilderbran passed unanimously from the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee March 25, and is expected to be considered by the full House on April 10, 2003. The Senate companion, SB 644 by Sen. Wentworth, was voted favorably from the Senate Natural Resources Committee on April 1.

The Senate also approved SB 236 by Sen. Troy Fraser on April 3. The bill, which awaits House consideration, would allow landowners, their family members, or their agents to hunt feral hogs on their property. Sen. Todd Staples was successful in adding an amendment to the bill that would also exempt landowners from obtaining a license if they are killing coyotes. The house companion, HB 815 by Rep. Hupp, was voted out of the House Committee on State Cultural and Recreational Resources on April 1.

The success for each of these bills has been because of the communication Texas Farm Bureau members have had with their legislators. Your communication with legislators is critical to the success of the legislative agenda of Texas Farm Bureau. Although we are one of the largest grassroots organizations in the state, it takes your involvement to be successful.

Your continued communications with legislators regarding SB 1828, opposing the move of the State Soil and Water Conservation Board to the Texas Department of Agriculture, is critical. Your continued involvement is also critical as we near the end of the Texas Legislative Session.