LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 14, 2009

TO:	Honorable Kip Averitt, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB229 by Pitts (Relating to the construction, installation, alteration, extension, servicing, maintenance, or repair of on-site sewage disposal systems.), As Engrossed

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would add a requirement for persons who construct, install, alter, extend, service, maintain or repair an on-site sewage disposal system to provide evidence of a bond or insurance policy to obtain or renew a license or registration on or after June 1, 2010. The bond or insurance would have to be in a form and amount prescribed by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules, and would be required to pay for damage to property resulting from the person’s work on an on-site sewage disposal system. The bill also would require counties to adopt and implement safety standards governing the construction, installation, alteration, extension, servicing, maintenance, and repair of on-site sewage disposal systems.

Any costs to the TCEQ associated with rulemaking or updating existing databases is expected to be handled using existing resources.

Local Government Impact

Although counties could incur costs in adopting and implementing safety standards as required by the bill, such costs are not expected to be significant.

Source Agencies:

582 Commission on Environmental Quality

LBB Staff:

JOB, SZ, TL, SD