HBA-JLV H.B. 3547 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3547
By: Chisum
Environmental Regulation
3/26/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current statutory authority limits the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission's (TNRCC) use of revenues collected from the motor vehicle
safety inspection (MVSI) fee.  Many would like to increase TNRCC's share of
the MVSI fee to be used to safeguard the natural resources of the state and
to maximize the use of fee revenues.  House Bill 3547 expands the use of
the revenues collected from the motor vehicle safety inspection fee and
increases the amount of revenues deposited to TNRCC.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3547 amends the Health and Safety Code to increase the motor
vehicle inspection (MVSI)  fee from $2 to $3 and to set forth provisions
relating to the revenues derived from the fee.  The bill requires that $3
of each advance payment collected by the Department of Public Safety for
inspection certificates be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of
the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (TNRCC) operating fund
account (account).  The bill requires the funds in the account to be used
to safeguard the natural resources of the state as necessary to address
potential or actual environmental impacts reasonably related to the
activities of the fee payers.  TNRCC is required to request the
appropriation of sufficient money to safeguard the natural resources of the
state.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.