S.B. No. 1714 amends various sections of the Health and Safety Code and Government Code to enhance the provision of solid waste disposal services by certain counties in Texas. The bill allows commissioners courts to contract for solid waste services in areas within a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, provided the municipality does not offer such services. It specifies eligibility criteria for counties based on population size, including those with populations over 1.5 million or under 1.3 million that contain a municipality with a population of 750,000 or more. Additionally, the bill outlines conditions under which a county can establish a mandatory solid waste disposal program.

The bill also creates a criminal offense for individuals who intentionally burn household refuse outdoors in specified unincorporated areas of counties that meet certain population criteria. The language clarifies the conditions under which this offense applies, particularly in relation to neighborhoods and the establishment of mandatory programs by the commissioners court. The changes in law will only apply to offenses committed after the bill's effective date, which is immediate upon a two-thirds vote or on September 1, 2025, if that vote is not achieved.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 791.037, Local Government Code 352.082 (Government Code 791, Local Government Code 352)