BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1254
By: Bonnen (Averitt)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current statute does not provide the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) with the ability to adjust fees paid by permit applicants to encourage the use of TCEQ's electronic permitting system. The permitting system allows applicants to file a permit application, pay associated fees, and print out a permit authorization in a matter of minutes. Similarly, TCEQ has the ability to file several high-level required reports electronically. The use of electronic services improves TCEQ's efficiency and effectiveness.
H.B. 1254 authorizes TCEQ to adjust fees to encourage electronic reporting and the use of TCEQ's electronic document receiving system.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 5.128(a), Water Code, to authorize the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to adjust fees as necessary to encourage electronic reporting and the use of the commission's electronic document receiving system, notwithstanding any other law.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2007.