1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the licensing of waste haulers by certain counties.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 368.012, Health and Safety Code, is

 1-5     amended to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 368.012.  COUNTY LICENSING AND REGULATION.  To protect

 1-7     the public health, safety, or welfare, the  commissioners court of

 1-8     a county with a population of less than 375,000 [100,000] may by

 1-9     ordinance:

1-10                 (1)  require a waste hauler who transports waste in

1-11     unincorporated areas of the county to be licensed by the county;

1-12                 (2)  establish requirements for obtaining and renewing

1-13     a waste hauler license;

1-14                 (3)  impose a license issuance or renewal fee in an

1-15     amount that generates annually the approximate amount of revenue

1-16     needed to fund the licensing program for a year;

1-17                 (4)  establish standards governing the transportation

1-18     of waste in unincorporated areas of the county;

1-19                 (5)  establish grounds for suspending or revoking a

1-20     waste hauler license; and

1-21                 (6)  prescribe any other provisions necessary to

1-22     administer the licensing program.

1-23           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-2     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-4     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-5     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 473 was passed by the House on April

         17, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, 2 present, not

         voting.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 473 was passed by the Senate on May

         19, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor