BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1503

By: González, Mary

Environmental Regulation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Since the end of the state's waste tire recycling program in 1997, the illegal dumping of used and scrap tires continues to be a problem in many areas of Texas. Illegally dumped tires create health hazards by providing a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and if the tires are set on fire, they can create a serious problem that is difficult to extinguish and clean up. The tires are often dumped in canals and drainage ditches, which in turn wreaks havoc on irrigation and flood control systems. C.S.H.B. 1503 seeks to address this problem by providing for the creation of a scrap tire remediation grant program to be administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1503 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to develop a scrap tire remediation grant program to award grants from the scrap tire remediation grant account established by the bill to counties for the purpose of reducing the number of scrap tires disposed of in inland or coastal water and onto public rights-of-way and other public land. The bill authorizes the TCEQ to award a grant under the program to a county to be used for the following:

· identifying and prosecuting violators of provisions providing offenses for illegal dumping and discarding lighted materials, as those provisions relate to the illegal disposal of scrap tires;

· providing information to the public to discourage the illegal disposal of scrap tires; and

· removing and properly disposing of illegally disposed of scrap tires.

C.S.H.B. 1503 establishes the scrap tire remediation grant account as a dedicated account in the general revenue fund composed of the following:

· appropriations of money to the account by the legislature;

· gifts, grants, including federal grants, and other donations received for the account; and

· interest earned on the investment of money in the account.

The bill restricts the use of money in the account by the TCEQ only to the awarding of program grants and the program's administration. The bill authorizes the TCEQ to adopt rules for the program's administration if it develops such a program.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1503 differs from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways by conforming to certain bill drafting conventions.