The bill, S.B. No. 1714, amends various sections of the Health and Safety Code and the Government Code to enhance the provision of solid waste disposal services by certain counties in Texas. It allows commissioners courts to contract for solid waste services in areas within a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction if the municipality does not provide such services. The bill 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, it establishes a criminal offense for burning household refuse outdoors in specific unincorporated areas of counties that meet certain criteria.

Key amendments include the insertion of new population thresholds and conditions under which counties can provide solid waste services, as well as the creation of a criminal offense for outdoor burning of refuse in designated areas. The bill also clarifies that the changes in law will only apply to offenses committed after the effective date of the Act, ensuring that prior offenses are governed by the law in effect at the time they were committed. The Act is set to take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote from both houses or on September 1, 2025, if that vote is not achieved.

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