Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

         
            S.B. No. 471
         
               AN ACT
            
            relating to the investigation by the Texas Commission on 
         
            Environmental Quality of certain complaints.
         
                   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         
                   SECTION 1.  Section 5.176, Water Code, is amended by adding 
         
            Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         
                   (c)  The commission is not required to investigate a 
         
            complaint:
         
                         (1)  that may be addressed during other commission 
         
            activities; or
         
                         (2)  that was filed by an individual when there is not a 
         
            reasonable probability that the commission can substantiate the 
         
            complaint and:
         
                               (A)  the complaint is repetitious or redundant of 
         
            other complaints concerning the same site investigated in the 
         
            preceding 12 months that were not substantiated by the commission; 
         
            or
         
                               (B)  the complainant has filed in the preceding 
         
            seven years at least five complaints that were not substantiated by 
         
            the commission.
         
                   SECTION 2.  Section 5.177(c), Water Code, is amended to read 
         
            as follows:
         
                   (c)  The commission is not required to provide the 
         
            information described in Subsection (a) or (b) to a complainant 
         
            who:
         
                         (1)  files an anonymous complaint;
         
                         (2)  [or] provides inaccurate contact information; or
         
                         (3)  files a complaint described by Section 5.176(c).
         
                   SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to 
         
            a complaint filed on or after the effective date of this Act.
         
                   SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
         
            ______________________________
            ______________________________
         
               President of the Senate
            Speaker of the House     
         
                   I hereby certify that S.B. No. 471 passed the Senate on 
         
            April 27, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 22, Nays 9.
         
            ______________________________
         
            Secretary of the Senate    
         
                   I hereby certify that S.B. No. 471 passed the House on 
         
            May 23, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 85, Nays 59, 
         
            two present not voting.
         
            ______________________________
         
            Chief Clerk of the House   
         
            Approved:
         
            ______________________________ 
         
                        Date
         
            ______________________________ 
         
                      Governor
         
Statutes affected: 
Introduced:  ()
Senate Committee Report: Water Code 5.176, Water Code 5.177 (Water Code 5)
Engrossed: Water Code 5.176, Water Code 5.177 (Water Code 5)
House Committee Report: Water Code 5.176, Water Code 5.177 (Water Code 5)
Enrolled: Water Code 5.176, Water Code 5.177 (Water Code 5)




	AN ACT
	relating to the investigation by the Texas Commission on
	Environmental Quality of certain complaints.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Section 5.176, Water Code, is amended by adding
	Subsection (c) to read as follows:
	(c) The commission is not required to investigate a
	complaint:
	(1) that may be addressed during other commission
	activities; or
	(2) that was filed by an individual when there is not a
	reasonable probability that the commission can substantiate the
	complaint and:
	(A) the complaint is repetitious or redundant of
	other complaints concerning the same site investigated in the
	preceding 12 months that were not substantiated by the commission;
	or
	(B) the complainant has filed in the preceding
	seven years at least five complaints that were not substantiated by
	the commission.
	SECTION 2. Section 5.177(c), Water Code, is amended to read
	as follows:
	(c) The commission is not required to provide the
	information described in Subsection (a) or (b) to a complainant
	who:
	(1) files an anonymous complaint;
	(2) [or] provides inaccurate contact information; or
	(3) files a complaint described by Section 5.176(c).
	SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
	a complaint filed on or after the effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.





	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House

	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 471 passed the Senate on
	April 27, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9.


	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate

	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 471 passed the House on
	May 23, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 85, Nays 59,
	two present not voting.


	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House



	Approved:

	______________________________
	Date


	______________________________
	Governor