BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2507

By: Chisum

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There is concern that lawn irrigation systems are being installed by people without a license because they can offer the service more cheaply than a licensed installer.  The fear is that unlicensed installers will contaminate the public water supply because they are not trained to prevent nonpotable water in lawn irrigation pipes from flowing into public water supply pipes that must be opened to install a lawn irrigation system.  Concerned parties report that many municipal and county judges will not prosecute unlicensed irrigation installers because there is no clear punishment for the offense.  H.B. 2507 seeks to address these concerns by creating the offense of installing an irrigation system without a license, making it unprofitable for an unlicensed irrigator to continue practicing without a license.       

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2507 amends the Occupations Code to make it a Class C misdemeanor offense to install an irrigation system without holding a license issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, with certain exceptions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.