BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 531

By: Birdwell

Environmental Regulation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Reports indicate that the Texas emissions reduction plan is vital in providing grants to help reduce air emissions from mobile sources, supporting programs to encourage the use of alternative fuels for transportation, and demonstrating to the federal government that the state is meeting air quality goals. There have been calls to continue the plan until federal air quality compliance is achieved. C.S.S.B. 531 seeks to provide for that continuation.

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.S.B. 531 amends the Tax Code and the Transportation Code to change the expiration date of statutory provisions providing for Texas emissions reduction plan surcharges, a Texas emissions reduction plan fee, and the remittance of certain money relating to vehicle title fees to the comptroller of public accounts for deposit to the credit of the Texas emissions reduction plan fund. That expiration date changes from August 31, 2019, to the last day of the state fiscal biennium during which the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) publishes in the Texas Register certain notice regarding attainment of national ambient air quality standards for ozone.

C.S.S.B. 531 repeals Sections 8(a-2) and (b), Chapter 755 (S.B. 1731), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, which continue certain programs under the Texas emissions reduction plan and the funding for those programs until the last day of the state fiscal biennium during which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes in the Federal Register certification that, with respect to each national ambient air quality standard for ozone under certain federal regulations, EPA has, for each applicable designated area, designated the area as attainment or unclassifiable or approved a redesignation substitute making a finding of attainment for the area.

EFFECTIVE DATE

August 30, 2019.

COMPARISON OF SENATE ENGROSSED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.S.B. 531 may differ from the engrossed in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the engrossed and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute changes the expiration date of the applicable statutory provisions from August 31, 2021, to the last day of the state fiscal biennium during which TCEQ publishes in the Texas Register certain notice regarding attainment of national ambient air quality standards for ozone.