By Duncan                                             H.B. No. 1991
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the connection of residential or other private water
    1-3  systems to public water supplies in such a manner as to prevent
    1-4  backflow into the public water supply system; and providing a
    1-5  penalty.
    1-6        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-7        SECTION 1.  Chapter 756 of the Health and Safety Code is
    1-8  amended by adding a new Subchapter E to read as follows:
    1-9        SUBCHAPTER 3.  CONNECTION TO PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM.
   1-10        Sec. 756.050.  Backflow Prevention; Approval by Health
   1-11  Authorities.
   1-12        All connections to public water supply systems for
   1-13  residential or other use shall be made in such a way that all water
   1-14  received from the public water supply shall be consumed or
   1-15  discharged into an approved sewage disposal system and shall not be
   1-16  intentionally returned to the public water supply.  All such
   1-17  connections shall be approved by local and state health or water
   1-18  authorities.
   1-19        Sec. 756.051.  Criminal Penalty.
   1-20        A person commits an offense if the person violates Section
   1-21  756.050, which offense shall be a Class C misdemeanor punishable by
   1-22  a fine not to exceed the maximum amount permissible for such
   1-23  offenses stated in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.  Each day
    2-1  of a continuing violation constitutes a separate offense.
    2-2        SECTION 2.  EMERGENCY CLAUSE.  The importance of this
    2-3  legislation and the crowded condition of the calendars in both
    2-4  houses create an emergency and an imperative public necessity that
    2-5  the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.