SRC-AXB H.B. 3381 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 3381
By: Hilderbran (Fraser)
Natural Resources
5/14/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Under current law, rural Texas youth camps are defined as public drinking
water suppliers in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and, thus, are
subject to the rules and regulations set forth by the Environmental
Protection Agency and adopted by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission. These regulations, licenses, and fees are the same regulations
that cities are required to comply with in regard to public drinking water.
H.B. 3381 requires the Texas Department of Health (TDH) to regulate the
water supply at a licensed and approved youth camp as provided by
Section141.009, Health and Safety Code, and by rules adopted by the Texas
Board of Health under that section. This bill also requires that youth camp
drinking water be classified as being furnished for private use, and
prohibits youth camps from reselling the water. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 3381 requires the Texas Department of Health (TDH) to
regulate the water supply at a licensed and approved youth camp as provided
by Section141.009, Health and Safety Code, and by rules adopted by the
Texas Board of Health under that section. This bill also requires that
youth camp drinking water be classified as being furnished for private use,
and prohibits youth camps from reselling the water. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 341C, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section
341.051, as follows:   

Sec. 341.051. WATER SUPPLIES AT YOUTH CAMPS. Provides that this subchapter
(Sanitary Standards of Drinking Water; Protection of Public Water Supplies
and Bodies of Water) does not apply to drinking water supplied by a youth
camp to staff and campers at the camp and their visitors. Requires the
Texas Department of Health (TDH) to regulate the water supply at a youth
camp as provided by Section 141.009 (Standards) and rules adopted by the
Texas Board of Health under that section. Provides that those rules must
comply with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. Section 300f et
seq.).  Requires youth camp drinking water to be classified as being
furnished for private use, regardless of the number of persons for whom
water is supplied. Prohibits the youth camp drinking water from being
resold to any other entity for any purpose.  Provides that this section
applies only to a youth camp licensed and approved by TDH.  

SECTION 2. Emergency clause. 
  Effective date: upon passage