86R5054 SLB-D
 
  By: Thompson of Brazoria H.B. No. 1963
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to contested case hearings conducted on behalf of the
  Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on matters involving
  municipal solid waste permits.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 2003.047, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (d-1) and (l-1) to read as follows:
         (d-1)  For the purposes of Subsection (d), to be eligible to
  preside at a hearing related to a permit for a municipal solid waste
  facility, an administrative law judge must have experience with
  solid waste engineering or management.
         (l-1)  For a hearing related to a permit for a municipal
  solid waste facility, the administrative law judge shall:
               (1)  present the findings of fact, conclusions of law,
  and any ultimate findings under Subsection (l) at an open meeting of
  the commission; and
               (2)  answer questions related to the findings and
  conclusions asked by the commissioners.
         SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  a contested case hearing related to a permit for a municipal solid
  waste facility that is set by the State Office of Administrative
  Hearings on or after the effective date of this Act. A hearing set
  before the effective date of this Act, or any decision issued or
  appealed from the hearing, is governed by the law in effect when the
  hearing was set, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.