By:  Patterson, J.                                    S.B. No. 1484
       73R9120 MI-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the disposal of yard waste; providing a civil penalty.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter N, Chapter 361, Health and Safety
    1-5  Code, is amended by adding Section 361.4285 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 361.4285.  DISPOSAL OF YARD WASTE; CIVIL PENALTY.  (a)
    1-7  A person may not dispose of yard waste at a solid waste facility
    1-8  unless the yard waste has been separated at its source from other
    1-9  solid waste and is accepted by a solid waste facility for soil
   1-10  conditioning, composting, or landcover.
   1-11        (b)  The commission shall assist local communities in
   1-12  developing collection systems for yard waste generated from
   1-13  residences and in establishing local composting facilities.
   1-14        (c)  The commission by rule shall adopt standards for the
   1-15  safe and proper processing and composting of yard waste.
   1-16        (d)  A person who violates this section or a rule adopted
   1-17  under this section is liable for a civil penalty as provided by
   1-18  Section 361.223, except that the minimum penalty is $1,000.
   1-19        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 1996.
   1-20        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-21  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-22  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-23  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-24  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.