AUSTIN — Texas House Bill 2458, which abolishes the Texas Structural Pest Control Board and transfers its duties and powers to the Texas Department of Agriculture, was signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry, June 15.
HB 2458, which passed the House in March, was held up in the Senate in late April after the Senate voted in favor of a substitute bill (SB 906), which would have extended TSPCB’s life an additional four years. That bill was introduced by Sen. Kim Brimer (R-Fort Worth). A Senate-House Conference Committee was then assembled and created a compromised version of HB 2458, which was then passed and sent to Perry’s desk.
The compromised bill established a structural pest control advisory committee consisting of nine members appointed by the commissioner, including: two members who are experts in structural pest control application; three members who represent the public; one member from an institution of higher education who is knowledgeable in the science of pests and pest control; one member who represents the interests of structural pest control operators and who is appointed based on recommendations provided by a trade association of operators; one member who represents the interests of consumers and who is appointed based on recommendations provided by consumer advocacy groups or associations; and the commissioner of state health services or the commissioner's designee.
Currently, the TSPCB is a nine-member group composed of three civilians, three pest control industry representatives and three state officials. The big difference in the compromised bill was that the new committee will just act in an advisory role.
Now that HB 2458 has been signed by Gov. Perry, the Texas Structural Pest Control Board will be abolished and its duties and powers will be transferred to the Texas Department of Agriculture by March 1, 2008.