SRC-CTC S.B. 1331 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1331
77R5924 SMH-DBy: Brown, J. E. "Buster"
Natural Resources
4/12/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Recently, the United States Department of Energy published new energy
efficiency standards for clothes-washing machines (machines).  These
federal standards, however, do not address water efficiency.  In Texas,
water conservation and machines that use water efficiently are issues of
increasing importance.  As proposed, S.B. 1331 prohibits a person from
selling, offering for sale, distributing, or importing a machine for use in
this state unless the machine meets certain water and energy saving
performance standards. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 372.001, Health and Safety Code, to define
"modified energy factor" and "water consumption factor." 

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 372, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section
372.0015, as follows: 

Sec. 372.0015.  EXEMPTION.  Provides that this chapter does not apply to a
clotheswashing machine with a capacity of more than 3.5 cubic feet or less
than 1.6 cubic feet. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 372.002, Health and Safety Code, to prohibit a
person from selling, offering for sale, distributing, or importing into
this state a clothes-washing machine for use in this state unless the
machine meets the water and energy saving performance standards provided by
Subsection (c) and the machine is listed by the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission (commission) under this Subsection (d). 

(c) Sets forth the specific water and energy saving performance standards
for washing machines under this section. 

(d) Requires the commission to make and maintain a current list of
clothes-washing machines that are certified to the commission by the
manufacturer or importer to meet the water and energy saving performance
standards established by Subsection (d).  Makes conforming changes. 

(f) Requires the commission, to the extent appropriate and practical, to
employ the standards established by the United States Department of Energy. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Sections 372.003(c) and (e), Health and Safety Code, to
require the commission by rule to prohibit the sale, offering for sale,
distribution, or importation into this state of a new commercial or
residential clothes-washing machine unless the clothes-washing machine is
labeled in  accordance with commission rules with a statement that
describes the device's water and energy use characteristics, including the
water consumption factor and modified energy factor.  Requires the
commission by rule to prohibit the sale, offering for sale, distribution,
or importation into this state of a new commercial or residential
dish-washing machine or lawn sprinkler unless the dish-washing machine or
lawn sprinkler is labeled in accordance with commission rules with a
statement that describes the device's water use characteristics.  Deletes
existing text relating to dish-washing machines, lawn sprinklers, and
clothes-washing machines. 

SECTION 5.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.