By Dukes H.B. No. 2945
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the state's source reduction and recycling goal.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 361.422(a), (d), and (e), Health and
1-5 Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-6 (a) It is the state's goal to reduce <by January 1, 1994,>
1-7 the amount of municipal solid waste disposed of in this state by at
1-8 least 40 percent through source reduction and recycling.
1-9 (d) For the purpose of measuring progress toward the state
1-10 source reduction and recycling <municipal solid waste reduction>
1-11 goal, the department shall use the weight of the total municipal
1-12 solid waste stream in 1992 <1991> as the base year <a baseline> for
1-13 comparison. To compute progress toward the state source reduction
1-14 and recycling <municipal solid waste reduction> goal for a year,
1-15 the department shall compare the total number of tons disposed in
1-16 the year under comparison, either by landfilling or by other
1-17 disposal methods, to the weight of the total municipal solid waste
1-18 stream <total number of tons disposed> in the base year, adjusting
1-19 for changes in population, tons of solid waste imported and
1-20 exported, and other relevant changes between the baseline year and
1-21 the comparison year.
1-22 Before January 1, 2001, the emission shall determine whether
1-23 the goal established in subsection (a) is being achieved. If the
2-1 commission finds that the goal is not achieved, it
2-2 <(e) Before January 1, 1994, the commission shall determine
2-3 whether the goal established in Subsection (a) is being achieved.
2-4 If the commission finds that the goal is not being achieved, it>
2-5 shall convene an advisory task force consisting of representatives
2-6 of the commission, the General Land Office, local governments, the
2-7 Municipal Solid Waste Management and Resource Recovery Advisory
2-8 Council, and the commercial solid waste disposal industry. <and may
2-9 recommend to the legislature a phased-in ban on the disposal of
2-10 yard waste in a landfill.> The task force shall recommend a plan
2-11 to the legislature for reaching the goal established in subsection
2-12 (a). <The task force may recommend a plan to the legislature for
2-13 implementing the ban after considering how the ban will.>
2-14 <(1) affect the state's disposal capacity,>
2-15 <(2) affect the economy of the state,>
2-16 <(3) affect local governments, and>
2-17 <(4) be accepted and adhered to by the citizens of the
2-18 state.>
2-19 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
2-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-24 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-25 passage, and it is so enacted.