Bill Text: TX SB1304 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | 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 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-18 - Referred to Natural Resources & Economic Development [SB1304 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB1304-Introduced.html
87R9834 JAM-F | ||
By: Blanco | S.B. No. 1304 |
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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, 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 a translation of the transcript of the | ||
meeting in each language in which the notice was required to be | ||
mailed. A transcript produced under this subsection 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 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 that is filed with | ||
the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on or after the | ||
effective date of this Act. A permit application 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, 2021. |