BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1146

By: Kacal

Environmental Regulation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties have raised concerns regarding cities that have been subject to disciplinary action by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for having a public water supply system operator who is a volunteer and not a paid employee of the city. The parties contend that current law does not explicitly allow for a licensed volunteer to be a public water system operator. H.B. 1146 seeks to clarify the law. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 1146 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize a volunteer to be the licensed operator of a public water supply system. The bill requires the owner or manager of a public water supply system that is operated by a volunteer to maintain a record of each volunteer operator showing the volunteer's name and contact information and the time period for which the volunteer is responsible for operating the water supply system. The bill requires a person who operates a public water supply on a volunteer basis to hold the appropriate occupational registration issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The bill requires TCEQ, not later than December 1, 2015, to adopt rules necessary to implement the bill's provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.