Wednesday, May 21, 1997

Boll weevil legislation begins legislative trek

By ANNA M. TINSLEY and STEVE RAY

Harte-Hanks Austin Bureau

AUSTIN - A measure to revive the state's controversial boll weevil eradication program began weaving its way through the House Tuesday buoyed by support from key lawmakers and state officials.

Members of the House Agriculture committee heard testimony on the proposal which was unanimously approved by state senators last week.

The bill by state Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, makes changes to the eradication program which was recently ruled unconstitutional by the Texas Supreme Court.

Last month, the court said the Legislature wrongly gave governmental authority to a private entity. The ruling basically killed the program unless the decision is overturned on appeal or lawmakers revamp the program to meet constitutional muster.

Duncan said he believes his bill can do that.

Despite looming deadlines to pass new laws, lawmakers say the measure will likely pass the House because of strong rural support and the influence of the bill's chief sponsor - state Rep. Rob Junell, D-San Angelo, and chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

On Tuesday, Junell testified before the agriculture committee about the bill, explaining the provisions.

"I hope that we'll kill them bollweevils, kill them critters," he said after the committee meeting. "I'm against bollweevils."

Boll weevils are tiny brown beetles that destroy between $25 million and $50 million of Texas crops each year.

About 100 Texans - on both sides of the issue - testified before the committee, said state Rep. Bob Turner, D-Voss and committee member.

"I learned more about bollweevils than I ever wanted to know," Turner joked.

Turner said he believes the House will pass a boll weevil bill "that will come up with a way of continuing the program, which actually is the life of cotton growing in Texas."

Under the bill, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry would be in charge of the Abilene-based Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation. The foundation is designed to help farmers curb weevil woes.

The bill also would establish an advisory committee to be organized in each of the state's six zones. Members will include one producer from each county in every zone and the committee will advise Perry on decisions to be made concerning each zone.

While many Texas cotton farmers praise the program's efforts to do away with the boll weevil, which damages many of the state's cotton crops, others have objected to the program, claiming it costs too much and kills beneficial secondary insects. The program is funded by assessments on farmers.