Sec. 12.050. TRADE AGRICULTURAL INSPECTION GRANT PROGRAM. (a) Using money appropriated for this purpose or money received under Subsection (g), the department may make a grant to a nonprofit organization for the purpose of promoting the agricultural processing industry in this state by reducing wait times for agricultural inspections of vehicles at ports of entry along the border with the United Mexican States.

(b) The department shall request proposals for the award of a grant under this section. The department shall evaluate the proposals and award a grant based on the proposed program's quantifiable effectiveness and the potentially positive impact on the agricultural processing industry in this state.

(c) A grant awarded under this section must be made to an organization that has demonstrated experience working with border inspection authorities to reduce border crossing wait times.

(d) A grant recipient may use grant money received under this section only to pay for activities directly related to the purpose of the grant program as described by Subsection (a). A grant recipient may use grant money to reimburse a federal governmental agency that, at the request of the grant recipient, provides additional border agricultural inspectors or pays overtime to border agricultural inspectors at ports of entry along the border with the United Mexican States.

(e) The department shall establish procedures to administer the grant program, including a procedure for the submission of a proposal and a procedure to be used by the department to evaluate a proposal.

(f) The department shall enter into a contract that includes performance requirements with each grant recipient. The department shall monitor and enforce the terms of the contract. The contract must authorize the department to recoup grant money from a grant recipient for failure of the grant recipient to comply with the terms of the contract.

(g) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the purpose of awarding grants under this section.

(h) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a nonprofit organization must provide matching funds. The department may not award a grant to a nonprofit organization until the department certifies that the nonprofit organization has the matching funds. The amount of the grant may not exceed the amount of matching funds. The department may not require a nonprofit organization to provide matching funds in an amount that exceeds the amount of the grant.

(i) The total amount of grants awarded under this section may not exceed $725,000 for the duration of the program.

(j) The department may adopt any rules necessary to implement this section.

(k) Not later than January 15, 2021, the department shall evaluate the performance of the program under this section and submit a report to the legislature. The report must include an evaluation of agricultural inspections affected by the program, including the extent to which the program is reducing wait times for agricultural inspections of vehicles at ports of entry along the border with the United Mexican States.

(l) Unless continued in existence by the legislature, this section expires September 1, 2021.

Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1351 (H.B. 2155), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.