BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 3618
85R20470 SLB-F	By: King, Tracy O. (Perry)
	Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs
	5/15/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

H.B. 3618 repeals Section 26.0285, Water Code, which requires the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to require that all permits for the discharge of waste within a single watershed or within a region of a single watershed contain the same expiration date and to adopt and implement procedures for the simultaneous review and renewal of all those permits within a watershed or region of a watershed. H.B. 3618 amends the Water Code to make a conforming change.

H.B. 3618 amends current law relating to the timing of the expiration of water quality permits.

[Note: While the statutory reference in this bill is to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) the following amendments affect the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as the successor agency to TNRCC.]

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 26.0135(d), Water Code, to require each river authority, as required by Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) rules, rather than requires each river authority, in the appropriate year of the cycle provided by TNRCC rules adopted to implement Section 26.0285 (Expiration of Permits Within Same Watershed), to submit a certain written summary report to certain entities.

SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 26.0285 (Expiration of Permits Within Same Watershed), Water Code.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.