Honorable Lyle Larson, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB965 by Springer (relating to the authority of a retail public water utility to require an operator of a correctional facility to comply with water conservation measures.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Water Code to permit a retail public utility to require an operator of a correctional facility to comply with water conservation measures adopted or implemented by the retail public utility. The bill would allow a correctional facility to not comply with a water conservation measure if the facility submits a letter from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice that states the measure would endanger health and safety at the facility or unreasonably increase the costs of operating the facility.
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise the bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
There could be costs to comply with water conservation measures, these costs would depend on the size, location and resources of a correctional facility and could be offset with savings in water usage.
According to Lubbock County, requirements from the bill retrofitting a facility with additional controllers that would electronically limit the number of flushes, or time of showers, would cost an estimated $2.1 million for labor and materials. Other older facilities could be more costly to retrofit.
Cooke County estimates no significant fiscal impact from complying with the requirements of the bill.
Source Agencies:
409 Commission on Jail Standards, 696 Department of Criminal Justice