Sec. 80.007.  BOARD ELECTIONS.  (a)  The initial election for board members from a proposed pest management zone shall be held concurrently with a pest management zone referendum held under Section 80.006.  Each pest management zone must be represented on the board and remain represented on the board until suppression operations are concluded and all debt of the pest management zone is paid.
(b)  A board election shall be conducted under the procedures provided by this section and Section 80.016.
(c)  A citrus producer who is eligible to vote in a referendum or election under this chapter is eligible to be a candidate for and member of the board if the person has at least seven years of experience as a citrus producer and otherwise meets the qualifications for the office.
(d)  A citrus producer who wants to be a candidate for the board must meet the qualifications for board membership and file an application with the commissioner.  The application must be:
(1)  filed not later than the 30th day before the date set for the board election;
(2)  on a form approved by the commissioner; and
(3)  signed by at least 10 citrus producers who are eligible to vote in the board election.
(e)  On receipt of an application and verification that the application meets the requirements of Subsection (d), an applicant's name shall be placed on the ballot for the board election.
(f)  An eligible voter may vote for a citrus producer whose name does not appear on the official ballot by writing that person's name on the ballot.
(g)  A board election must be preceded by at least 45 days' notice published in one or more newspapers published and distributed in the proposed or established pest management zone.  The notice shall be published not less than once a week for three consecutive weeks.  Not later than the 45th day before the date of the election, direct written notice of the election shall be given to each Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent in the pest management zone.
(h)  Each board member shall be sworn into office by a representative of the commissioner by taking the oath of office required for elected officers of the state.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 506 (S.B. 1016), Sec. 10.01, eff. September 1, 2009.