BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 1648

By: Price

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties assert that a designated water conservation coordinator for a retail public water utility will improve the utility's ability to implement its water conservation plan and associated programs. C.S.H.B. 1648 seeks to address this issue by providing for the designation of such a coordinator.

 

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

 

C.S.H.B. 1648 amends the Water Code to require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to require a retail public utility that provides potable water service to 3,300 or more connections and that is required to submit a water conservation plan to the executive administrator of the Texas Water Development Board to designate a person as the water conservation coordinator responsible for implementing the plan and identify, in writing, the coordinator to the executive administrator.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2017.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 1648 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

INTRODUCED

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1.  Section 13.146, Water Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 13.146.  WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.  The commission shall require a retail public utility that provides potable water service to 3,300 or more connections to:

(1)  submit to the executive administrator of the board a water conservation plan based on specific targets and goals developed by the retail public utility and using appropriate best management practices, as defined by Section 11.002, or other water conservation strategies;

(2)  designate an employee as the water conservation coordinator responsible for implementing the water conservation plan; and

(3)  identify, in writing, the water conservation coordinator to the executive administrator of the board.

SECTION 1.  Section 13.146, Water Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 13.146.  WATER CONSERVATION PLAN.  The commission shall require a retail public utility that provides potable water service to 3,300 or more connections to:

(1)  submit to the executive administrator of the board a water conservation plan based on specific targets and goals developed by the retail public utility and using appropriate best management practices, as defined by Section 11.002, or other water conservation strategies;

(2)  designate a person as the water conservation coordinator responsible for implementing the water conservation plan; and

(3)  identify, in writing, the water conservation coordinator to the executive administrator of the board.

SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.