Texas Animal Health Commission

Sunset Documents for 2020-2021 Review Cycle, 87th Legislative Session

Require TAHC to close its lab and designate the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory as the state’s regulatory animal health lab in statute to the extent testing is available, efficient, and cost effective.

Direct TAHC and the Texas Department of Agriculture to enter into a memorandum of understanding by February 1, 2021, to ensure TAHC is notified when animals are rejected at state animal export facilities and to conduct a study that tracks animals rejected at any export facility. (Management action – nonstatutory)
Remove outdated, overly prescriptive, restrictive provisions in statute to provide TAHC more flexibility to prevent, manage, and eradicate reportable animal diseases.
Direct TAHC to provide clear, consistent public information about state animal health laws and rules, regulatory programs, and appeals processes by February 1, 2021. (Management action – nonstatutory)
Direct TAHC and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to enter into a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and coordinate educational programs and information about animal health. (Management action – nonstatutory)
Authorize TAHC to delegate its authority to establish a quarantine to the executive director.
Authorize TAHC to require a report within 24 hours of a diagnosis of a USDA reportable disease and to require slaughter for animals with a USDA reportable disease.
Remove automatic expiration of rules regarding the duty to report certain animal diseases within 24 hours.

Require TAHC to regularly conduct trend analysis of its compliance data.
Direct TAHC to complete and implement its penalty matrix by February 1, 2021. (Management action – nonstatutory)
Direct TAHC to include explicit guidance in all field manuals on documenting incidents of noncompliance and corresponding educational conversations. (Management action – nonstatutory)
Direct TAHC to share its compliance database with regional office staff to facilitate information flow between Austin and the field by February 1, 2021. (Management action – nonstatutory)
Direct TAHC to review and update all training materials and guidelines for consistency and conformity with statute and rules. (Management action – nonstatutory)

Authorize TAHC to establish advisory committees by rule.
Direct TAHC to adopt a policy to ensure each rule undergoes meaningful review pursuant to state law, and update the Sunset Commission on its progress by February 1, 2021. (Management action – nonstatutory)
Update the standard across-the-board requirements on board member training and grounds for removal of a board member.
Update the standard across-the-board requirement related to developing and maintaining a complaints system and making information on complaint procedures available to the public. Specify TAHC may not inform parties of the status of complaints if doing so would jeopardize an ongoing investigation.
Exempt disease lists in rule from a statutory requirement for an agency to repeal a rule that imposes a cost on regulated persons when adopting rules that increase costs to regulated persons.