83R3931 JAM-D
By: White H.B. No. 569
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a study on the stringency of state environmental
standards.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "commission" means the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
SECTION 2. ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS STUDY. (a) The
commission shall conduct a study of state environmental statutes
and state agency rules to determine which statutes and rules
provide standards or requirements more stringent than the minimum
acceptable standards or requirements provided by the applicable
federal laws or regulations adopted by federal agencies to regulate
the same activity.
(b) The study must include recommendations for establishing
by state statute or state agency rules state environmental
standards or requirements that are not more stringent than the
minimum acceptable standards or requirements provided by the
applicable federal laws or regulations adopted by federal agencies
to regulate the same activity.
(c) The commission may work with other state agencies,
institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, private
organizations, or business entities to conduct the study.
SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than January 1, 2015, the
commission shall submit a report on the results and recommendations
of the study to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker
of the house of representatives, and the presiding officer of each
standing committee of the legislature with jurisdiction over
environmental matters.
SECTION 4. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires August 31,
2015.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.