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       
   
           __________________
                Governor