By: Sims, Brown S.B. No. 942
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the On-site Wastewater Treatment Research Council.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. Subdivisions (1) and (2), Section 367.001, Health
1-4 and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-5 (1) "Commission" means the Texas Natural Resource
1-6 Conservation Commission.
1-7 (2) "Council" means the On-site Wastewater Treatment
1-8 Research Council.
1-9 <(2) "Department" means the Texas Natural Resource
1-10 Conservation Commission.>
1-11 SECTION 2. Section 367.007, Health and Safety Code, is
1-12 amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and by adding
1-13 Subsection (e) to read as follows:
1-14 (a) The council is not an advisory body to the commission.
1-15 The commission <department>, at the direction of the council, shall
1-16 implement council decisions.
1-17 (b) The council may enter into an interagency contract with
1-18 the commission <department> to provide staff and other
1-19 administrative support as required to improve the quality of
1-20 wastewater treatment and reduce the cost of providing wastewater
1-21 treatment to consumers.
1-22 (c) The council may accept grants and donations from other
1-23 sources to supplement the fees collected under Section 367.010.
1-24 Grants and donations shall be deposited to the credit of the
2-1 on-site wastewater treatment research account <of the general
2-2 revenue fund> and may be disbursed as the council directs and in
2-3 accordance with Section 367.008.
2-4 (e) The council may award grants and enter into contracts in
2-5 its own name and on its own behalf.
2-6 SECTION 3. Section 367.010, Health and Safety Code, is
2-7 amended to read as follows:
2-8 Sec. 367.010. Fees. (a) The commission <Texas Department
2-9 of Health> and each county, municipality, public health department,
2-10 and river authority shall collect a $10 fee for each on-site
2-11 wastewater treatment permit application processed <it issues>.
2-12 (b) A county, municipality, public health department, or
2-13 river authority that collects a fee shall forward the <The> fee
2-14 <shall be forwarded> to the commission <department not later than
2-15 the 30th day after the date on which it is collected>.
2-16 (c) The commission shall <department may> enforce the
2-17 collection and forwarding of the fee.
2-18 (d) The fee proceeds shall be deposited to the credit of the
2-19 on-site wastewater treatment research account <of the general
2-20 revenue fund>.
2-21 SECTION 4. Chapter 367, Health and Safety Code, is amended
2-22 by adding Section 367.011 to read as follows:
2-23 Sec. 367.011. ON-SITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT RESEARCH ACCOUNT.
2-24 The on-site wastewater treatment research account is an account in
2-25 the general revenue fund.
2-26 SECTION 5. The on-site wastewater treatment research account
2-27 is re-created as an account to be used for the purposes designated
3-1 in Chapter 367, Health and Safety Code.
3-2 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-7 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-8 passage, and it is so enacted.