Bill Text: TX SB844 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

Texas Senate Bill 844

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating to the provision by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of certain information in a language other than English.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-04-25 - Co-author authorized [SB844 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-SB844-Introduced.html

	88R2076 JAM-F

	By: Blanco	S.B. No. 844



	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the provision by the Texas Commission on Environmental
	Quality of certain information in a language other than English.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 5, Water Code, is amended
	by adding Section 5.1731 to read as follows:
	Sec. 5.1731. DUTY TO RESPOND IN LANGUAGE RECEIVED. The
	commission shall respond to a request for information, public
	comment, response to notice, or other inquiry or correspondence
	within the jurisdiction of the commission in the language in which
	the matter was received by the commission.
	SECTION 2. Subchapter M, Chapter 5, Water Code, is amended
	by adding Section 5.5531 to read as follows:
	Sec. 5.5531. MAILED NOTICE IN ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE. (a) A
	notice required to be mailed under this subchapter or under Chapter
	26 or 27 of this code or Chapter 361, Health and Safety Code, other
	than a notice required to be mailed under Subchapter F or V, Chapter
	361, Health and Safety Code, must be sent in the alternative
	language in which a bilingual education program is or would have
	been taught if either the elementary or middle school nearest to the
	facility or proposed facility is required to provide a bilingual
	education program as required by Subchapter B, Chapter 29,
	Education Code, and:
	(1) students are enrolled in a program at that school;
	(2) students from that school attend a bilingual
	education program at another location; or
	(3) the school that otherwise would be required to
	provide a bilingual education program has been granted an exception
	from the requirements to provide the program as provided by rules of
	the Texas Education Agency.
	(b) The applicant shall pay the costs associated with
	mailing notice under this section, including costs for the
	translation of the notice into a language other than English.
	SECTION 3. Section 5.554, Water Code, is amended to read as
	follows:
	Sec. 5.554. PUBLIC MEETING. (a) During the public comment
	period, the executive director may hold one or more public meetings
	in the county in which the facility is located or proposed to be
	located. The executive director shall hold a public meeting:
	(1) on the request of a member of the legislature who
	represents the general area in which the facility is located or
	proposed to be located; or
	(2) if the executive director determines that there is
	substantial public interest in the proposed activity.
	(b) If notice of the public meeting was required to be
	mailed in a language other than English under Section 5.5531, the
	commission shall provide in each language in which the notice was
	required to be sent:
	(1) a simultaneous translation of a public meeting by
	a translator proficiently skilled at translating the applicable
	language; and
	(2) a translation of the transcript of the meeting.
	(c) A transcript produced under Subsection (b)(2) must be:
	(1) paid for by the applicant for the proposed
	activity; and
	(2) made publicly available in the same manner and
	from the same location as other written or audio records of the
	meeting.
	SECTION 4. Section 5.555, Water Code, is amended by adding
	Subsection (c) to read as follows:
	(c) If a notice associated with the permit or other
	authorization is required to be mailed in a language other than
	English under Section 5.5531, the commission shall provide a
	translation of the responses to public comment in each language in
	which the notice was required to be sent. The applicant shall pay
	the costs associated with a translation made under this subsection.
	SECTION 5. Subchapter M, Chapter 5, Water Code, as amended
	by this Act, applies only to a permit application or an application
	for a municipal setting designation that is filed with the Texas
	Commission on Environmental Quality on or after the effective date
	of this Act. A permit application or an application for a municipal
	setting designation filed before the effective date of this Act is
	governed by the law in effect on the date of filing, and that law is
	continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.