BILL ANALYSIS


PUBLIC HEALTH
C.S.H.B. 2677
By: Chavez
4-16-97
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND 

Currently, most portable restroom facilities are unisex, thus are equipped
with both a urinal and a toilet.   For individuals using the toilet, the
propensity for contact with unsanitary surfaces is unnecessarily increased
due to the close proximity of the urinal to the toilet.  This arrangement
increases the risk infection and disease for those who use the toilet.
Women are faced with this problem considerably more often than men.
Therefore, it is necessary to create portable restroom facilities for
women without urinals, thereby lessening the risk of infection and
disease. 

PURPOSE

CSHB 2677 requires portable restroom facilities to be designated
gender-specific.  Portable restroom facilities that are designated for
women may not contain urinals. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly grants rulemaking
authority to the Texas Board of Health in SECTION 1 ( Section 341.069(d),
Health and Safety Code). 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 341, Health and Safety Code, by
adding Section 341.069 as follows: 

(a)  Each portable restroom open for use by the public must be designated
for use by only one gender. 
 
(b)  A portable restroom designated only for women may not contain a
urinal. 
 
(c)  This section applies only to portable restroom facilities that are
provided for use by the public as required by law. 
 
(d)  The board may adopt rules to implement this section.

SECTION 2.   Effective Date. September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3.   Emergency Clause.

 COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

CSHB 2677 omits a subsection from SECTION 1 (Sec. 341.069, Health and
Safety Code) of the original bill to remove the requirement that a person
providing public portable restroom facilities must do so at a specific
ratio for separate facilities that are gender specific. 
 

 

BG C.S.H.B. 2677 75(R)