HBA-MSH S.B. 634 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 634
By: Bernsen
County Affairs
4/18/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law authorizes commissioners courts in coastal counties to prohibit
littering in their unincorporated areas. Strict enforcement of littering
penalties, beach clean-up days, and providing trash bags to the public have
proven unsuccessful in keeping the beaches free of litter and safe for
public use. Glass containers are a significant part of the litter problem,
and pose safety problems when broken. Senate Bill 634 authorizes the
commissioners court of a county bordering on the Gulf of Mexico to prohibit
the use of glass containers on beaches in unincorporated areas. 

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

Senate Bill 634 amends the Natural Resources Code to authorize the
commissioners court of a county bordering on the Gulf of Mexico or its
tidewater limits to prohibit the use or possession of all glass containers
and products on a beach in the unincorporated area of the county.  The bill
provides that a commissioners court may not prohibit any one or several
glass products to the exclusion of any others.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.