HBA-MSH H.B. 987 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 987 By: Oliveira County Affairs 2/12/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Some areas in Texas lack trash disposal service or offer this service at costs unaffordable to many residents. Consequently, residents bury, burn, or dump their trash illegally, creating a threat to public health and safety. Provisions under the Health and Safety Code give counties the authority to regulate trash collection service in unincorporated areas. In many cases, an effective mechanism to collect user fees associated with this service is lacking. House Bill 987 provides these economically distressed counties the authority to require the local water supply or sewer service corporation to collect solid waste disposal fees. 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 987 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize a county that is eligible for county financial assistance to require a water supply or sewer service corporation (corporation) serving an area of the county to collect solid waste disposal service fees for solid waste disposal services provided in that area by the county. The bill requires the county to compensate the corporation for the actual cost of collecting such fees and authorizes the county to use the fees to pay the compensation. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.