HBA-AMW H.B. 257 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 257
By: McClendon
Environmental Regulation
3/15/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

During the recent Sunset Advisory Commission hearings on the Texas Natural
Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), citizens expressed concern
regarding possible conflicts between TNRCC members' interests in the
entities TNRCC regulates and TNRCC's role in representing the public's
interest in environmental concerns.  Under current law, a person is not
prohibited from serving as a TNRCC commissioner if the person previously
served in some capacity as a representative of a private business entity
regulated by TNRCC or had a financial interest in a private business entity
regulated by TNRCC. House Bill 257 prohibits a person from serving as a
commissioner of  TNRCC if the person has had a financial interest in or has
served in some capacity for a private business entity regulated by TNRCC in
the last two years. 

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 257 amends the Water Code to prohibit a person from serving on
the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) if the person,
at any time during the two years preceding the person's appointment,
personally served as an officer, director, owner, employee, partner, or
legal representative of a private business entity regulated by TNRCC, or
owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, stocks or bonds of any class
with a value of $10,000 or more in a private business entity regulated by
the TNRCC. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.