Bill Text: TX HB1775 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to a study on waste reduction and a statewide waste reduction plan.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-30 - Left pending in committee [HB1775 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB1775-Introduced.html
  82R6410 JXC-D
 
  By: Allen H.B. No. 1775
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a study on waste reduction and a statewide waste
  reduction plan.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality.
               (2)  "Recycling" has the meaning assigned by Section
  361.421, Health and Safety Code.
               (3)  "Waste reduction" means reducing the amount and
  toxicity of waste, including:
                     (A)  source reduction, as that term is defined by
  Section 361.421, Health and Safety Code;
                     (B)  reusing materials or diverting materials
  from a waste stream before disposal; and
                     (C)  recycling.
         SECTION 2.  WASTE REDUCTION STAKEHOLDERS COMMITTEE; STUDY.
  (a)  The commission shall appoint a waste reduction stakeholders
  committee composed of members interested in waste reduction,
  including:
               (1)  two representatives from each of the following:
                     (A)  the business community;
                     (B)  the public sector;
                     (C)  the municipal solid waste industry;
                     (D)  the private sector solid waste industry;
                     (E)  the private sector recycling industry;
                     (F)  the academic community; and
                     (G)  the general public; and
               (2)  one representative from a nonprofit organization
  that promotes recycling statewide.
         (b)  The waste reduction stakeholders committee shall
  conduct a study regarding waste reduction in this state. The study
  must:
               (1)  assess current waste reduction efforts and
  identify ways in which the private and public sectors can improve
  and increase those efforts;
               (2)  assess the effectiveness of waste reduction
  statutes, regulations, and programs in this state;
               (3)  assess the extent to which waste reduction
  programs in this state are duplicative;
               (4)  investigate available funding for waste reduction
  programs in this state;
               (5)  review waste reduction education programs in this
  state;
               (6)  review standards in use in this state for:
                     (A)  training and certification of waste
  reduction professionals; and
                     (B)  reporting amounts of waste recycled;
               (7)  review waste reduction best practices; and
               (8)  assess job creation opportunities associated with
  waste reduction.
         (c)  The waste reduction stakeholders committee shall
  prepare a written report on the results of the study and submit the
  report to the commission.
         SECTION 3.  HEARING. The commission shall provide notice of
  and hold at least one public hearing and receive public comments on
  the results of the study conducted under Section 2 of this Act and
  on the creation of a statewide waste reduction plan.
         SECTION 4.  STATEWIDE WASTE REDUCTION PLAN. The committee
  shall prepare a statewide waste reduction plan based on the study
  and comments from the public hearing or hearings.  The plan must
  include:
               (1)  goals determined by the committee for reducing
  waste by a certain percentage and date;
               (2)  recommended best practices to help achieve those
  goals;
               (3)  recommended standards for training and certifying
  waste reduction professionals;
               (4)  recommended standards for recording and reporting
  the amount of waste recycled by entities required to report
  recycled amounts;
               (5)  recommended incentives to promote development of
  end markets, where materials are diverted from the waste stream and
  used for economic benefit;
               (6)  suggested sources of funding for implementing the
  plan;
               (7)  a waste reduction education plan; and
               (8)  recommended state actions that would benefit the
  economy of this state while:
                     (A)  improving and increasing waste reduction
  efforts; and
                     (B)  minimizing the adverse environmental impacts
  of waste.
         SECTION 5.  REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2012, the
  commission shall submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of
  the house of representatives, and the presiding officer of the
  standing committee of each house of the legislature with primary
  jurisdiction over environmental matters a report that includes:
               (1)  the results of the study;
               (2)  a summary of the comments from the public hearing
  or hearings; and
               (3)  the statewide waste reduction plan prepared by the
  committee.
         SECTION 6.  EXPIRATION. This Act expires August 31, 2013.
         SECTION 7.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect
  immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
  elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
  Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
  immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
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