HBA-EDN S.B. 356 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 356
By: Lucio
Environmental Regulation
3/19/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) has developed
several innovative programs to reform the state's approach to environmental
regulation, such as technical assistance on pollution prevention,
environmental self-audits, or Supplemental Environmental Projects, which
allow entities that violate pollution regulations to invest the fines,
fees, and penalties the violating entity would otherwise have to pay in
environmental improvement projects.  TNRCC has developed performance
measures to measure its innovative programs, but there are concerns that
the present measures do not adequately measure the results of most of
TNRCC's innovative programs.  Senate Bill 356 requires TNRCC to work with
the Legislative Budget Board to create performance measures that assess the
improvements in environmental quality achieved by innovative regulatory
programs implemented by 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

Senate Bill 356 amends the Water Code to require the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission (TNRCC) to work with the Legislative Budget Board
to create performance measures that assess the improvements in
environmental quality achieved by innovative regulatory programs
implemented by TNRCC. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.