TITLE agriculture

Part I. Texas Department of Agriculture

Chapter 1. General Procedures

Subchapter G. Interagency agreements

4 TAC §1.320

The Texas Department of Agriculture (the department) adopts new §1.320, concerning a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the department and the Texas Department of Health, without changes to the proposed text as published in the November 8, 1996, issue of the Texas Register (21 TexReg 10957).

The new section is adopted to establish an understanding between the department and the Texas Department of Health to coordinate regulatory programs and to eliminate conflicting regulatory requirements and inspection standards of shell eggs at the retail level.

The new section defines and clarifies words used in the MOU, identifies the general duties to be performed, the mutual agreements, the term of the MOU and the date the MOU was executed.

The Texas Egg Council commented in favor of the adoption of the new section.

The new section is adopted under Senate Bill 372, Article 7, §7.03, 74th Legislative Session (1995), now codified at the Texas Agriculture Code, Chapter 132, §132.008, which requires the Texas Department of Agriculture to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Texas Department of Health regarding the regulation of shell eggs at the retail level.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Issued in Austin, Texas, on December 20, 1996.

TRD-9618576

Dolores Alvarado Hibbs

Deputy General Counsel

Texas Department of Agriculture

Effective date: January 10, 1997

Proposal publication date: November 8, 1996

For further information, please call: (512) 463-7583