By:  Parker                                           S.B. No. 1044
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to equalizing the solid waste disposal fee.
    1-2        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-3        SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 361.013, Health and
    1-4  Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
    1-5        (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (e), the department
    1-6  shall charge a fee on solid waste that is disposed of within this
    1-7  state.  The fee is $1.50 <the greater of 50 cents> per ton if
    1-8  measured by weight or, if measured by volume, the fee is, for
    1-9  compacted solid waste, 50 cents per cubic yard or, for uncompacted
   1-10  solid waste, 30 <10> cents per cubic yard received for disposal at
   1-11  a landfill.  The department shall set the fee for sludge or similar
   1-12  waste applied to the land for beneficial use on a dry weight basis
   1-13  and for solid waste received at an incinerator or a shredding and
   1-14  composting facility at half the fee set for solid waste received
   1-15  for disposal at a landfill.  The department may charge comparable
   1-16  fees for other means of solid waste disposal that are used.
   1-17        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-18  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-19  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-20  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-21  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-22  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-23  passage, and it is so enacted.