CHAPTER 111. GINNING AND COMPRESSING COTTON
AGRICULTURE CODE
TITLE 5. PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, AND SALE OF HORTICULTURAL
PRODUCTS
SUBTITLE E. PROCESSING AND SALE OF FIBER PRODUCTS
CHAPTER 111. GINNING AND COMPRESSING COTTON
Sec. 111.001. GINNERS; PUBLIC USE. A person who operates a gin
in this state for ginning cotton for commercial purposes shall be
known as a ginner and is charged with the public use.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1298, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1981.
Sec. 111.002. GINNER'S RECORD. Each ginner shall keep in a book
a public record of all cotton brought to the ginner for ginning.
The record shall show:
(1) the amount of cotton received;
(2) the date on which the cotton was received;
(3) the name of the person who brought the cotton to the gin;
and
(4) the name of each person claiming to own the cotton.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1298, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1981.
Sec. 111.003. IDENTIFICATION OF BALES. (a) Each ginner shall
mark each bale of cotton with the following:
(1) "B____________", filling the blank with the number of the
bale as shown on the books of the gin;
(2) the initials of each party who claims to own the cotton; and
(3) an individual ginner's mark.
(b) The ginner's mark under Subsection (a) of this section shall
be placed under the initials of the parties claiming ownership.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1299, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1981.
Sec. 111.004. BALING. (a) Each bale of cotton ginned by a
ginner shall be wrapped so that:
(1) the bale will be completely covered when compressed and the
ends of the bale are closed and well sewn; and
(2) the markings on the bale will remain intact and visible
under ordinary conditions.
(b) In compressing, recompressing, baling, or rebaling cotton,
each person owning, operating, or working for a compress in this
state shall, prior to delivery of a bale to a common carrier,
bind and tie the bale so that the bale is free of:
(1) dangerously exposed ends of bands or buckles; or
(2) dangerously exposed or protruding parts of ties, bands,
buckles, or splices.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1299, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1981.
Sec. 111.005. LIABILITY FOR IMPROPER BALING. (a) A person who
delivers to a common carrier a bale of cotton that is not tied or
bound as required by Section 111.004(b) of this code shall
forfeit to the state not less than $50 nor more than $250. A suit
may be brought in the name of the state to recover that
forfeiture.
(b) A person who receives for storage, loads for transportation,
or transports in this state a bale that is not tied or bound as
required by Section 111.004(b) of this code is liable for damages
to any of the person's employees who is injured in the course of
employment by a dangerously exposed end of band or buckle or
dangerously exposed or protruding part of a tie, band, buckle, or
splice. The employer and not the employee has the duty to inspect
the bales of cotton.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1299, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1981.
Sec. 111.007. PENALTIES. (a) A person commits an offense if
the person operates a cotton gin for himself or herself or for
commercial purposes without complying with this chapter.
(b) A person commits an offense if, as a ginner, the person:
(1) fails, neglects, or refuses to keep a record in accordance
with Section 111.002 of this code; or
(2) fails, neglects, or refuses to mark a bale of cotton with
the initials of each party who claims to own the cotton and with
the ginner's mark in the manner required by Section 111.003 of
this code.
(c) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1299, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1981. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 230, Sec. 124, eff.
Sept. 1, 1989.