By Madla S.B. No. 820 74R4086 JJT-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to a solid waste permit exemption for certain facilities 1-3 that incinerate medical waste. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 382, Health and Safety 1-6 Code, is amended by adding Section 382.065 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 382.065. MEDICAL WASTE INCINERATORS IN RURAL HOSPITALS. 1-8 (a) A hospital that is located in a rural area, as defined by 1-9 commission rule, and that has on-site a permitted medical waste 1-10 incinerator may: 1-11 (1) accept for disposal medical waste from a 1-12 physician, a physician's office, or another medical facility in the 1-13 area; and 1-14 (2) incinerate the medical waste in accordance with 1-15 the permit conditions for the incinerator. 1-16 (b) A hospital may apply for a permit amendment to allow the 1-17 incineration of a greater amount of medical waste in the 1-18 incinerator to accommodate the medical waste disposal needs in the 1-19 area. The commission shall consider the application for amendment 1-20 without regard to whether the increased amount of medical waste is 1-21 generated on-site or off-site. 1-22 (c) The commission may adopt rules related to the 1-23 transportation and handling of medical waste to be disposed of 1-24 under this section. 2-1 (d) The commission may not require a hospital to obtain a 2-2 solid waste disposal permit under Chapter 361 to accept or 2-3 incinerate medical waste in accordance with this section. 2-4 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-9 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-10 passage, and it is so enacted.