The office must create the Texas food system security and resiliency planning council, and the council must meet regularly and provide guidance and review a state plan.
Sec. 23.002. TEXAS FOOD SYSTEM SECURITY AND RESILIENCY PLANNING COUNCIL. (a) The office shall establish the Texas food system security and resiliency planning council. The council is composed of the following members: (1) three members appointed by the governor; (2) three members appointed by the lieutenant governor; (3) three members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (4) one member of the Texas Animal Health Commission appointed by the governor; (5) one member appointed by the commissioner to represent food banks; (6) one member appointed by the commissioner to represent nonprofit organizations that provide home delivered meals; (7) two members appointed by the commissioner to represent agricultural producer organizations, marketing associations organized under Chapter 52, or farmers' cooperative societies incorporated under Chapter 51; (8) the assistant commissioner of agriculture for the food and nutrition division as a nonvoting member; (9) the director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service as a nonvoting member; and (10) one nonvoting member appointed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to represent the supplemental nutrition assistance program, the federal special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, and the supplemental nutrition assistance program-education. (b) A person appointed under Subsection (a) must have experience in an industry or economic sector involving food production or food sales or in a related industry or economic sector. (c) For the purpose of Subsection (a)(7), the Texas Farm Bureau is considered an agricultural producer organization. (d) A council member serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority. (e) The governor shall designate a chair of the council from the members the governor appoints. The lieutenant governor shall designate a vice chair of the council from the members the lieutenant governor appoints. (f) The council shall meet at least once quarterly or more frequently at the call of the chair. (g) A member of the council is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for expenses incurred in performing council duties. (h) The council shall: (1) give guidance to the office; and (2) review the state food system security plan developed under Section 23.003. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 601 (H.B. 3323), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.