The bill, S.B. No. 713, proposes amendments to the Health and Safety Code regarding the surcharge for the disposal and remittance for the storage of certain waste at the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact facility. It decreases the surcharge from 20 percent to 15 percent of the total contracted rate for nonparty compact waste disposal. Additionally, the bill stipulates that two-thirds of the collected surcharge will be deposited into the environmental radiation and perpetual care account, while the remainder will be remitted to the host county, aligning with specified sections of the code.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the remittance structure for license or permit holders storing radioactive waste or elemental mercury. Instead of remitting 20 percent of gross receipts to the commission for general revenue, the new structure requires that 50 percent of the remitted amount goes to the comptroller for the general revenue fund, with the remainder going to the host county. The changes will only apply to surcharges collected or remittances made on or after the effective date of September 1, 2025, with prior collections governed by the existing law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 401.207, Health and Safety Code 401.244 (Health and Safety Code 401)