BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 347

By: Seliger

Environmental Regulation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties have expressed concerns regarding the funding mechanism for the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission and note certain streamlining opportunities. S.B. 347 seeks to address these concerns by revising the funding mechanism for the operations of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission.

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

S.B. 347 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to deposit in the perpetual care account, rather than the low-level radioactive waste disposal compact commission account, the portion of the party state compact waste disposal fee that is calculated to support the activities of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission as required by certain provisions of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact. The bill requires the fee to be assessed for party state compact waste and nonparty compact waste.

S.B. 347 requires the comptroller of public accounts, on the first day of each state fiscal year, to transfer from the low-level radioactive waste fund to the low-level radioactive waste disposal compact commission account an amount equal to the amount appropriated for that state fiscal year. The bill requires the comptroller, on September 30 of each fiscal year, to transfer the unexpended and unencumbered money from the previous fiscal year in the low-level radioactive waste disposal compact commission account to the low-level radioactive waste fund.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.