1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the regulation of bottled or vended water.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subtitle A, Title 6, Health and Safety Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Chapter 441 to read as follows:
 1-6        CHAPTER 441. REGULATION OF BOTTLED AND VENDED DRINKING WATER
 1-7           Sec. 441.001.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter, "department"
 1-8     means the Texas Department of Health.
 1-9           Sec. 441.002.  CERTIFICATION OF BOTTLED AND VENDED WATER
1-10     OPERATORS.  (a) A bottled or vended water operator may not furnish
1-11     bottled or vended water to the public or for distribution to the
1-12     public unless the bottled or vended water operator holds a
1-13     certificate of competency under this chapter. A person may not
1-14     furnish bottled or vended water to the public or for distribution
1-15     to the public unless the processing, bottling, and distribution of
1-16     the bottled or vended water are performed by or under the
1-17     supervision of a bottled or vended water operator who holds a
1-18     certificate of competency under this chapter.
1-19           (b)  To obtain or renew a certificate an applicant must pay
1-20     the department a $25 fee.
1-21           (c)  On receipt of the required fee, the department shall
1-22     provide for the testing of the applicant and issue a certificate of
1-23     competency to the applicant if the applicant passes the test.
1-24           Sec. 441.003.  RULES.  The department may adopt rules that
 2-1     are necessary to implement this chapter that promote the public
 2-2     health and safety.  The rules may include rules relating to
 2-3     certificate suspension, revocation, or other disciplinary action
 2-4     and relating to certificate renewal.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-6           (b)  Chapter 441, Health and Safety Code, as added by this
 2-7     Act,  does not apply to bottled or vended water that is produced
 2-8     before December 1, 1999.
 2-9           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2013 was passed by the House on April
         30, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 2013 was passed by the Senate on May
         20, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor