Sec. 531.0222. WIC PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(a) In this section:

(1) "Committee" means the advisory committee established under this section.

(2) "Department" means the Texas Department of Health.

(3) "WIC program" means the federal special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children authorized by 42 U.S.C. Section 1786, as amended, and administered by the department.

(b) The commissioner shall establish a WIC program advisory committee to provide input from WIC program merchants, vendors, recipient advocacy groups, and local clinics to advise the commissioner and the department on policy, rules, and technology changes concerning the WIC program.

(c) The committee consists of 10 members appointed by the commissioner from geographically diverse areas as follows:

(1) four representatives of retail merchant vendors, with two from national supermarket companies and two from regional or independent food retailers;

(2) one representative of a specialty retailer such as a pharmacy or WIC program-only retailer;

(3) two representatives of advocacy groups for WIC program recipients, such as charities or consumer groups; and

(4) three representatives of staff at WIC program clinics.

(d) The committee shall:

(1) review all current WIC program policies;

(2) review and submit comments concerning proposed WIC program rule and policy changes;

(3) advise state employees developing and implementing the electronic benefits transfer program for the WIC program on the methods for benefits delivery through the use of a card issued to a WIC program recipient;

(4) recommend procedures to be used with pricing issues for WIC program products; and

(5) examine and make recommendations regarding the possibility of adding farmers' markets as WIC program vendors.

(e) A member of the committee may not receive compensation for serving on the committee and may not be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred while conducting the business of the committee.

(f) The department shall provide administrative support, including staff, for the committee.

(g) The committee is not subject to Chapter 2110.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 603, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Renumbered from Government Code Sec. 531.0221 by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1275, Sec. 2(64), eff. Sept. 1, 2003.