LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 18, 2013

TO:
Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB1176 by Deuell (Relating to the regulation of medical waste.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would give the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) authority over regulating the management of medical waste and change some of the requirements and regulations relating to medical waste. The bill would give the TCEQ the specific ability to require a permit or registration for the collection, treatment, storage, disposal, and transportation of medical waste.  
 
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in both houses; otherwise, it would take effect on September 1, 2013. The bill would set a compliance date of January 1, 2014, for compliance with changes in law by the bill for any medical waste facility with a current permit or registration. 

This analysis assumes the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), which currently has rules in place governing definition, treatment, and disposition of special waste from health care-related facilities, would repeal those rules because the bill would authorize the TCEQ to control all aspects of medical waste management.
 
Passage of the bill is not expected to have a signficant fiscal impact on the TCEQ or the DSHS.


Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
537 State Health Services, Department of, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
LBB Staff:
UP, CL, TL, CH, JTe