1-1 By: Hilderbran (Senate Sponsor - Madla) H.B. No. 2013 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 1999; 1-3 May 3, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 1-4 Services; May 12, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 12, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the regulation of bottled or vended water. 1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-10 SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 6, Health and Safety Code, is 1-11 amended by adding Chapter 441 to read as follows: 1-12 CHAPTER 441. REGULATION OF BOTTLED AND VENDED DRINKING WATER 1-13 Sec. 441.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "department" 1-14 means the Texas Department of Health. 1-15 Sec. 441.002. CERTIFICATION OF BOTTLED AND VENDED WATER 1-16 OPERATORS. (a) A bottled or vended water operator may not furnish 1-17 bottled or vended water to the public or for distribution to the 1-18 public unless the bottled or vended water operator holds a 1-19 certificate of competency under this chapter. A person may not 1-20 furnish bottled or vended water to the public or for distribution 1-21 to the public unless the processing, bottling, and distribution of 1-22 the bottled or vended water are performed by or under the 1-23 supervision of a bottled or vended water operator who holds a 1-24 certificate of competency under this chapter. 1-25 (b) To obtain or renew a certificate an applicant must pay 1-26 the department a $25 fee. 1-27 (c) On receipt of the required fee, the department shall 1-28 provide for the testing of the applicant and issue a certificate of 1-29 competency to the applicant if the applicant passes the test. 1-30 Sec. 441.003. RULES. The department may adopt rules that 1-31 are necessary to implement this chapter that promote the public 1-32 health and safety. The rules may include rules relating to 1-33 certificate suspension, revocation, or other disciplinary action 1-34 and relating to certificate renewal. 1-35 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-36 (b) Chapter 441, Health and Safety Code, as added by this 1-37 Act, does not apply to bottled or vended water that is produced 1-38 before December 1, 1999. 1-39 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-40 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-41 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-42 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-43 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-44 * * * * *