Sec. 71.043.  ANNUAL REGISTRATION.  (a)  A florist or nursery owner must register with the department under this section each nursery, greenhouse, orchard, garden, or other place growing for sale or lease, offering for sale or lease, or otherwise distributing a florist item or nursery product.
(b)  A florist or nursery owner may apply for registration or renewal of registration by submitting an application prescribed by the department and an annual fee.  The fee shall be the sum of:
(1)  an amount based on the size and type of a location, as defined by department rule, where a florist or nursery owner grows for sale or lease or offers for sale or lease a florist item or nursery product; and
(2)  an optional additional amount equal to 15 percent of the amount described by Subdivision (1), to fund the Texas nursery and floral account.
(b-1)  The department shall allow an applicant to elect whether to pay the amount described by Subsection (b)(2).  An applicant is not required to pay that amount to apply for or renew registration.
(c)  Registrations under this section expire one year after issuance.  A person who fails to submit a renewal fee on or before the expiration date of the registration must pay, in addition to the renewal fee, the late fee provided by Section 12.024 of this code.
(d)  Upon receipt of the correct annual registration fee, the department shall issue a registration certificate for each location a florist or nursery owner has registered.
(e)  A person may not offer for sale or lease a nursery product or florist item without a registration certificate issued under this section.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1156, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.  Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 230, Sec. 48, eff. Sept. 1, 1989;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 419, Sec. 2.27, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Amended by: 
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 960 (H.B. 3496), Sec. 2, eff. June 19, 2009.