Honorable Allan Ritter, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2400 by Miller, Doug (Relating to the powers and duties of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and other entities regarding water and sewer utilities and certain conservation and reclamation districts.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would expand the number of days from 60 to 120 for notice before a rate increase by a water utility takes effect. The bill would require the entity's regulatory authority to suspend the rate change until the authority issues a final decision if the required number of protests are received. If a hearing is not set, the bill would provide for automatic approval of the rates requested by a utility. The bill would also eliminate hearing requirements for the dissolution of an inactive district and provide direct authority to the executive director to dissolve an inactive district. The bill would also remove the hearing requirement regarding a water district’s conversion to a municipal utility district and provide the executive director of the TCEQ with the authority to enter an order for this conversion. None of the changes proposed in the bill is expected to result in significant fiscal implications to the TCEQ.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.