HBA-SEP H.B. 2371 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2371 By: Burnam Environmental Regulation 3/29/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In 1998, the United States Congress passed legislation creating the Texas, Maine, and Vermont Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact (compact) in which Texas is the host state. The goal of the compact is to enable Texas to prohibit the importation of low-level radioactive waste (waste) from states outside of the compact. Currently the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission (commission) is allowed to contract to import into Texas unlimited amounts of waste from entities outside of the compact. House Bill 2371 prohibits the governor from appointing a host state commissioner to the commission who has not signed a pledge to vote against the importation of waste into the compact. 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 2371 amends the Health and Safety Code to prohibit the governor from appointing a host state commissioner to the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission unless the person has signed a written pledge not to propose an agreement with any person, state, regional body, or group of states for the importation of low-level radioactive waste into the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact for management or disposal and to vote against such an agreement, if proposed. The bill also provides that an alternate for each host state commissioner must sign the pledge. The governor is required to remove from office a host state commissioner or alternate who breaks the pledge and to fill the vacancy as soon as is practicable. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.