Bill > HB3249

This bill modifies Section 2003.047(i) of the Government Code to provide more specific rules about how issues are certified to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in contested cases that are referred to the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH). The changes require the SOAH and TCEQ to jointly adopt and publish rules that specify which issues are appropriate for certification and the procedure for certifying those issues. Importantly, the bill adds a new requirement that any party's issue related to the scope of discovery must be promptly certified by the administrative law judge to the commission. The bill will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, or otherwise will take effect on September 1, 2025. This modification aims to clarify and streamline the process for resolving complex administrative hearing issues by ensuring that certain types of disputes are quickly referred to the TCEQ for resolution.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3249