Texas Agriculture Code - AGRIC § 74.001. Public Nuisance

(a) The legislature finds that cotton pests are a menace to the cotton industry, and that control of those pests is a public necessity.  Any portion of the state that is susceptible to infestation by cotton pests must be protected from this public nuisance and threat to the continued stability of the cotton industry.

(b) The legislature finds that volunteer and other noncommercial cotton is a public nuisance that threatens the cotton growers' boll weevil eradication program by serving as a host for cotton pests such as boll weevils and pink bollworms.  To protect the cotton industry of this state, volunteer and other noncommercial cotton must be eliminated subject to the provisions of this chapter.