HBA-SEP H.B. 2904 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2904 By: Burnam Environmental Regulation 3/29/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law does not require a low-level radioactive waste disposal site to be located near a nuclear power plant. However, the potential for accidents due to transporting low-level radioactive waste may be diminished if the waste did not have to travel far distances. House Bill 2904 requires the board of directors of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority, in choosing potential disposal sites for further analysis, to give preference to sites located at or near nuclear power plants. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 2904 amends the Health and Safety Code to remove provisions limiting the low-level radioactive waste disposal site location to Hudspeth County. The bill also requires the board of directors of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority, in choosing potential disposal sites for further analysis, to give preference to sites located at or near nuclear power plants. A disposal site must include aboveground isolation facilities for managing low-level radioactive waste pending disposal. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.