Sec. 76.144. COUNTY HERBICIDE REGULATIONS. (a) If the commissioners court of a county determines that a valuable crop or vegetation susceptible to being adversely affected by the application of a regulated herbicide exists in an area of the county and that a departmental rule adopted or prohibition prescribed under Section 76.141 or 76.142 not currently applicable to the area should apply to the area, the commissioners court may enter an order in the minutes of the court under which the department's rule or prohibition under Section 76.141 or 76.142 becomes effective in the specified area of the county beginning January 1 of the following year.

(b) If the commissioners court of a county determines that there is no longer a valuable crop or vegetation susceptible to being adversely affected by the application of a regulated herbicide in the specified area of the county, the court may rescind its order under Subsection (a) effective January 1 of the following year.

(c) The department shall adopt rules concerning the use of a regulated herbicide in a county in which the commissioners court has entered an order under Subsection (a) of this section.

(d) The department may immediately suspend a rule of the department regarding the application dates of a regulated herbicide in an area of a county if:

(1) the commissioners court of the county established the applicability of the rule by adopting an order as provided by Subsection (a);

(2) the commissioners court requests that the department immediately suspend the rule; and

(3) the department determines that an imminent threat to agricultural interests exists in the county and if that threat is not immediately addressed by a suspension of the department's rule a significant economic loss will result.

(e) Before the commissioners court of a county may enter an order under this section, the commissioners court shall hold a hearing to determine whether the order should be issued. Before the 10th day before the date on which the hearing is to be held, the commissioners court shall publish notice of the hearing in at least one newspaper in the county.

(f) The commissioners court shall transcribe the hearing and make findings of fact based on the hearing and conclusions of law to support its order in the manner prescribed for a final order or decision in a contested case under Chapter 2001, Government Code.

(g) Before the 21st day after the date on which an order under Subsection (a) is entered, an interested person may appeal the order to a district court in the county to test the reasonableness of the basis for the commissioners court order. The provisions of Subchapter G, Chapter 2001, Government Code, that apply to the judicial review of a contested case under the substantial evidence rule apply to the appeal, except that the appeal is brought in a district court for the county in which the appealed order applies. An appeal may be taken from the district court as in other civil cases.

(h) The commissioners court of the county shall notify the department of a change in the status of a county or a portion of a county under this section.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1369, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.