HBA-JLV, DMH H.B. 435 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 435
By: Dukes
Environmental Regulation
3/15/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) is not
required to conduct an annual comprehensive analysis of all the complaints
it receives in specific areas. There is a growing desire to make it easier
for individuals to track complaints filed with TNRCC and encourage TNRCC to
work with local officials in remedying these complaints.  House Bill 435
requires TRNCC to conduct an annual analysis of all of the complaints that
it receives and work with local officials to investigate a complaint. 

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 435 amends the Water Code to require the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission TNRCC to annually conduct a comprehensive analysis
of the complaints it receives in categories including air, water, waste,
priority classification, region, TNRCC response, enforcement action taken,
and trends by complaint type.  The bill requires TNRCC to assess the impact
of changes made in the complaint policy, make reasonable efforts to work
with local officials from the area that is the subject of the complaint
when investigating complaints, and to include a summary of such analyses
and assessments in the biennial report required of TNRCC. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.