By Conley                                              H.B. No. 968
       74R4071 MI-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to decentralization of certain Texas Natural Resource
    1-3  Conservation Commission staff.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 5, Water Code, is amended
    1-6  by adding Section 5.122 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 5.122.  DECENTRALIZATION OF TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE
    1-8  STAFF.  (a)  To achieve more efficient regional review and
    1-9  enforcement in matters under the commission's jurisdiction, the
   1-10  commission, to the extent practicable, shall assign technical and
   1-11  administrative staff who review plans and specifications for
   1-12  facilities or activities under the commission's jurisdiction,
   1-13  including enforcement coordinators, permit engineers, and water
   1-14  quality inspectors, to regional offices instead of the commission's
   1-15  central offices.
   1-16        (b)  Staff assigned to regional offices under this section
   1-17  shall coordinate with the commission's central offices to ensure
   1-18  consistency in, and to avoid duplication of, commission activities.
   1-19        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-20  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-21  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-22  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-23  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-24  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-1  passage, and it is so enacted.