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.