Sunset Staff Reports Released

Sunset staff reports for the Angelina and Neches River Authority, Lower Neches Valley Authority, River Authority Uniformity Study, Trinity River Authority of Texas, and Texas Ethics Commission are now available.

Commission Decisions

The summary of the Texas Real Estate Commission decisions are now available. 

Texas-Israel Exchange Fund Board

Agency History

Historical Notes

During the 81st Regular Legislative Session in 2009, Senate Bill 1016 abolished the Texas-Israel Exchange Fund Board and gave the Department of Agriculture the discretion to seek funding for cooperative agricultural research.

This agency is currently inactive. An agency can be labeled inactive if it has been abolished, had a title change, was merged into a different agency or split into different agencies. See Agency History on the right for further information.

Next Review Date: None

  • Last Review Cycle: 2008-2009 Review Cycle - 81st Legislative Session

Sunset Documents for 2008-2009 Review Cycle, 81st Legislative Session

Legislative Documents

Final Results of Last Sunset Review

The Legislature adopted all of the Sunset Commission’s recommendations and added several provisions to Senate Bill 1016. The bill continued the Department of Agriculture (TDA); continued the Prescribed Burning Board, but removed its separate Sunset date; and abolished the Texas-Israel Exchange Fund Board. The bill also restructured the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority, made numerous changes to strengthen and streamline the Department’s regulatory programs, and created new programs for rural economic development and citrus pest management. The list below summarizes the major provisions of Senate Bill 1016.

  • Restructures the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority’s programs so that they better meet the needs of Texas agriculture.
  • Continues the Prescribed Burning Board as a semi-independent board and strengthens its enforcement authority over noncompliant licensees and unlicensed activity.
  • Abolishes the Texas-Israel Exchange Fund, and gives TDA the discretion to seek funding for cooperative agricultural research as the agency sees fit.
  • Requires the Commissioner of Agriculture, rather than the Governor, to appoint the members of certain boards and combines the two wine advisory committees into one.
  • Eliminates regulation of certain activities and conforms the regulation of others to reflect current industry practices.
  • Conforms key elements of TDA’s licensing and enforcement functions to commonly applied licensing practices.
  • Conforms the Structural Pest Control Act with the Agriculture Code to better integrate the program into TDA’s regulatory structure.
  • Continues TDA for 12 years.
  • Grants TDA authority to impose requirements on unlicensed produce dealers to prevent losses to perishable commodity producers.
  • Updates the Structural Pest Control Act so that it reflects current industry and regulatory practices.
  • Provides another eligibility requirement for the Commissioner and additional administrative tools for the agency.
  • Creates grant programs to encourage rural economic development.
  • Grants the Texas Beef Council authority to administer in Texas the federal program for beef marketing.
  • Updates statutory provisions related to livestock.
  • Creates entities to promote the use of biofuels.
  • Creates an entity to manage citrus pests and diseases.