87R17783 SLB-D

By: Morales Shaw, Bowers, Reynolds, Price H.B. No. 2990

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2990:

By: Walle C.S.H.B. No. 2990

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a requirement to make certain environmental and water use permit applications available online.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter M, Chapter 5, Water Code, is amended by adding Section 5.559 to read as follows:

Sec. 5.559. INTERNET WEBSITE POSTING OF APPLICATION. After an application has been determined to be administratively complete, the applicant or the commission shall:

(1) post on a publicly accessible Internet website:

(A) the application; and

(B) any subsequent revision or supplement to the application as the revision or supplement becomes available; and

(2) until the commission takes final action on the application:

(A) maintain the posting on the Internet website; and

(B) include the address of the Internet website in any public notice provided by the applicant or commission, including under Section 5.552 or 5.553.

SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Water Code, is amended by adding Section 11.159 to read as follows:

Sec. 11.159. INTERNET WEBSITE POSTING OF APPLICATION. After an application has been determined to be administratively complete, the applicant or the commission shall:

(1) post on a publicly accessible Internet website:

(A) the application, the map, and any supporting materials required by this subchapter; and

(B) any subsequent revision or supplement to the application as the revision or supplement becomes available; and

(2) until the commission takes final action on the application:

(A) maintain the posting; and

(B) include the address of the Internet website in any public notice provided by the applicant or commission, including under Section 11.132.

SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an application received by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality 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.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.