H.B. No. 2771

AN ACT

relating to the fee collected for an on-site wastewater treatment permit application.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 367.008(b) and (c), Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) The commission shall [may] award competitive grants to[:

[(1)] support applied research and demonstration projects by accredited colleges and universities in this state, by other governmental entities, or by acceptable public or private research centers regarding on-site wastewater treatment technology and systems applicable to this state that are directed toward improving the quality of wastewater treatment and reducing the cost of providing wastewater treatment to consumers, including wastewater reuse [; and

[(2) enhance technology transfer regarding on-site wastewater treatment by using educational courses, seminars, symposia, publications, and other forms of information dissemination].

(c) The commission shall seek the advice of relevant experts when choosing research topics and [,] awarding grants[, and holding educational conferences associated with activities] under this chapter.

SECTION 2. Section 367.010(d), Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) The fee proceeds shall be deposited to the credit of the water resources management account and may be used only for the purposes of Sections 367.007 and 367.008.

SECTION 3. Section 5.701(p), Water Code, is amended to read as follows:

(p) Notwithstanding any other law, fees collected for deposit to the water resource management account under the following statutes may be appropriated and used to protect water resources in this state, including assessment of water quality, reasonably related to the activities of any of the persons required to pay a fee under:

(1) Subsection (b), to the extent those fees are paid by water districts, and Subsections (e), (f), and (n); or

(2) Section 54.037(c) [; or

[(3) Section 367.010, Health and Safety Code].

SECTION 4. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an application for an on-site wastewater treatment permit received by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality or an authorized agent, as defined by Section 366.002, Health and Safety Code, on or after the effective date of this Act. An application received before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the application was received, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

(b) The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an application for a grant under Section 367.008, Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. An application for a grant submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the application was submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 2771 was passed by the House on May 4, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2771 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 131, Nays 13, 2 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 2771 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________

Date

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Governor