Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits state entities in Alabama from enacting stricter environmental regulations than those of the federal government.

Highlights:

• Defines key terms for scientific information for agencies when considering scientific research material for new rules and regulations (Sec. 1). 

• Prohibits an agency from adopting a new rule or amending an existing rule on chemical substances relating to water issues, air quality, or hazardous waste handling, resulting in limitations stronger than any federal law or regulation (Sec. 1). 

• Prohibits an agency from adopting or considering new regulations if there is no federal rule or regulation for industrial chemical substances or materials and requires the agency to consider the best available science and the weight of scientific evidence (Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes any rule or regulation adopted to protect human health and safety to have scientific evidence to establish a direct causal link between exposure (Sec. 1).

• Requires rules protecting human health and safety to utilize scientific evidence to directly link established exposure limits to manifest human bodily harm, however if no data is available, tests performed on experimental animal species may be utilized instead (Sec. 1). 

• Specifies that agencies are not required to utilize the United States Environmental Protection Agency values when developing water quality criteria, excluding (Sec. 1): 

• A rule that is required by federal law or regulation;

• A less stringent or extensive rule in scope, coverage, or effect than any federal law or regulation standard;

• A rule that repeals or modifies an existing rule to be less stringent in scope, coverage, or effect; or

• An emergency rule adopted for an above statement. 

• Specifies that this Act takes effect immediately (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text