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.