Part 1.
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Chapter 1.
GENERAL PROCEDURES
Subchapter L. URBAN SCHOOLS GRANTS PROGRAM
4 TAC §§1.800, 1.802, 1.803
The Texas Department of Agriculture (the department) proposes
amendments to §§1.800, 1.802 and 1.803, concerning purpose, eligibility
requirements, and selection of grant recipients under the department's Urban
Schools Grants Program. The amendments to §1.800 and §1.802 are
proposed to make the section consistent with HB 634, 77th Regular Legislative
Session, 2001 (HB 634), amending the Texas Agriculture Code, §46.001,
which sets forth the type of projects which may be funded, and §46.002,
which sets forth limits to use of grant funds for the Urban Schools Grants
Program. HB 634 deleted the requirement that the department not award a grant
to more than one school within the same school district within a school year.
The amendments to §1.803 change the nature and make-up of the panel reviewing
grant proposals and clarifies the selection process. These amendments are
made to make the selection process more efficient.
Carol Funderburgh, contracts and grants coordinator, has determined that
for the first five-year period the amendment is in effect, there will be no
fiscal implications for state government as a result of enforcing or administering
the section, as amended. There will be no fiscal implication for local government
as a result of enforcing or administering the section, as amended.
Ms. Funderburgh also has determined that for each of the first five years
the section, as amended, is in effect the public benefit anticipated as a
result of enforcing the amended sections will be the opportunity for the department
to fund, in a more efficient manner, from a larger pool of grant proposals,
thereby benefiting more Texas school children and raising awareness of agriculture.
There will be no anticipated costs to microbusinesses, small or large businesses
or to persons required to comply with the amendment.
Comments on the proposal may be submitted to Carol Funderburgh, contracts
and grants coordinator, Texas Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 12847, Austin,
Texas 78711. Comments must be received no later than 30 days from the date
of publication of the proposal in the
Texas Register.
The amendments to §§1.800, 1.802 and 1.803 are proposed
under the Texas Agriculture Code §12.016, which provides the department
with the authority to adopt rules as necessary for the administration of the
Code; and the Code, §46.001, which provides the department with the authority
to adopt rules to implement the urban schools grant program.
The code affected by this proposal is the Texas Agriculture Code, Chapter
46.
§1.800.Statement of Purpose.
The Urban Schools Grant Program is designed to establish demonstration
agricultural projects
or other projects designed to foster an understanding
and awareness of agriculture
in certain Texas urban public school districts
by awarding grants of $2,500 to eligible elementary schools.
§1.802.Eligibility.
Subject to available funds, [
(1)
a description of the proposed project;
(2)
a schedule of projected costs for the project; and
(3)
a statement of the educational benefits of the project,
including how the project will improve the students' understanding of agriculture.
§1.803.Selection.
(a)
A review panel
[
(b)
The review panel
[
(1)
one
person having experience or expertise in developing
elementary school curriculum
[
(2)
one representative of the department;
(3)
one representative of the livestock industry;
(4)
one representative of the specialty crop industry;
(5)
one representative of the row crop industry;
(6)
one representative of the horticulture industry; and
(7)
one representative of the Texas Agricultural Extension
Service.
(c)
Final selection of grant recipients
shall be made by the commissioner.
This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed
by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.
Filed with the Office of
the Secretary of State, on June 1, 2001.
TRD-200103063
Dolores Alvarado Hibbs
Deputy General Counsel
Texas Department of Agriculture
Earliest possible date of adoption: July 15, 2001
For further information, please call: (512) 463-4075
Subchapter J. ORGANIC COTTON RULES
one
] public elementary
schools
[
school
] from [
each
] urban public school
districts
[
district
] in the state
are
[
is
] eligible to receive a grant under this subchapter if the
schools
[
school
]
submit
[
submits
] to the department
a proposal that includes:
Community group panels
] appointed by the commissioner shall
review
[
select
] grant
proposals
[
recipients
]
and make a
recommendation to the commissioner for awarding the grants
.
Community group panels
] shall be composed of the following:
representative of the urban public
school district submitting the request
];
Chapter 3.
BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION PROGRAM