SRC-SEW H.B. 2403 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2403
77R13684 EBy: Lewis, Ron (Brown)
Natural Resources
5/8/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The United States Department of Energy recently published new energy
efficiency standards for clotheswashing machines (machines). These federal
standards, however, do not address water efficiency. In Texas, water
conservation has emerged as an important issue and machines that use water
inefficiently contribute to the problem. H.B. 2403 requires the Texas
Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) to report to the
legislature on the water consumption factor of all clotheswashing machines
that were imported into this state during the preceding calendar year.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Natural Resources
Conservation Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 372.004, Health and Safety
Code) of this bill.   

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 372, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section
372.004, as follows: 

Sec. 372.004.  REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. Defines "water consumption factor."
Provides that this section does not apply to a clothes-washing machine with
a capacity of more than 3.5 cubic feet or less than 1.6 cubic feet.
Requires the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (commission),
beginning in February 2003, to report to the legislature in January of each
year on certain issues.  Requires the commission by rule to require
appropriate industry trade associations or other entities to provide the
information described by Subsection (c)  to the commission by January 2003,
and each January thereafter. 
 
SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2001.