1-1     By:  Chisum (Senate Sponsor - Brown)                   H.B. No. 212

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 4, 1997;

 1-3     April 10, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Health

 1-4     and Human Services; May 7, 1997, reported favorably by the

 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 7, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the advisory function of the Texas Radiation Advisory

 1-9     Board.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 401.019, Health and Safety Code, is

1-12     amended to read as follows:

1-13           Sec. 401.019.  Advisory Board Duties.  The advisory board

1-14     shall:

1-15                 (1)  review and evaluate state radiation policies and

1-16     programs;

1-17                 (2)  make recommendations [to the department] and

1-18     furnish technical advice that may be required on matters relating

1-19     to development, use, and regulation of sources of radiation to the

1-20     department, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, the

1-21     Railroad Commission of Texas, and other state agencies; and

1-22                 (3)  review proposed [department] rules and guidelines

1-23     of the department, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation

1-24     Commission, the Railroad Commission of Texas, and other state

1-25     agencies relating to regulation of sources of radiation and

1-26     recommend changes in proposed or existing rules and guidelines

1-27     relating to those matters.

1-28           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 401, Health and Safety

1-29     Code, is amended by adding Section 401.020 to read as follows:

1-30           Sec. 401.020.  DUTY OF AGENCIES WITH RADIATION-RELATED

1-31     PROGRAMS.  A state agency shall:

1-32                 (1)  consider the recommendations and advice of the

1-33     advisory board that concern the agency's policies or programs

1-34     related to the development, use, or regulation of a source of

1-35     radiation; and

1-36                 (2)  provide the advisory board a written response to

1-37     the recommendations or advice.

1-38           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-39     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-40     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-41     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-42     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-43     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-44     passage, and it is so enacted.

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