TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Fracturing Regulations are Effective 
in State Hands Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) hydraulic fracturing is a commercially viable practice 
        that has been used in the United States for more than 60 years 
        in more than 1,000,000 wells;
            (2) the Ground Water Protection Council, a national 
        association of State water regulators that is considered to be 
        a leading groundwater protection organization in the United 
        States, released a report entitled ``State Oil and Natural Gas 
        Regulations Designed to Protect Water Resources'' and dated May 
        2009 finding that the ``current State regulation of oil and gas 
        activities is environmentally proactive and preventive'';
            (3) that report also concluded that ``[a]ll oil and gas 
        producing States have regulations which are designed to provide 
        protection for water resources'';
            (4) a 2004 study by the Environmental Protection Agency, 
        entitled ``Evaluation of Impacts to Underground Sources of 
        Drinking Water by Hydraulic Fracturing of Coalbed Methane 
        Reservoirs'', found no evidence of drinking water wells 
        contaminated by fracture fluid from the fracked formation;
            (5) a 2009 report by the Ground Water Protection Council, 
        entitled ``State Oil and Natural Gas Regulations Designed to 
        Protect Water Resources'', found a ``lack of evidence'' that 
        hydraulic fracturing conducted in both deep and shallow 
        formations presents a risk of endangerment to ground water;
            (6) a January 2009 resolution by the Interstate Oil and Gas 
        Compact Commission stated ``The states, who regulate 
        production, have comprehensive laws and regulations to ensure 
        operations are safe and to protect drinking water. States have 
        found no verified cases of groundwater contamination associated 
        with hydraulic fracturing.'';
            (7) on May 24, 2011, before the Oversight and Government 
        Reform Committee of the House of Representatives, Lisa Jackson, 
        the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
        testified that she was ``not aware of any proven case where the 
        fracking process itself has affected water'';
            (8) in 2011, Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey 
        stated, ``We have not seen evidence of any adverse effect as a 
        result of the use of the chemicals that are part of that 
        fracking technology.'';
            (9)(A) activities relating to hydraulic fracturing (such as 
        surface discharges, wastewater disposal, and air emissions) are 
        already regulated at the Federal level under a variety of 
        environmental statutes, including portions of--
                    (i) the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
                U.S.C. 1251 et seq.);
                    (ii) the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et 
                seq.); and
                    (iii) the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.); 
                but
            (B) Congress has continually elected not to include the 
        hydraulic fracturing process in the underground injection 
        control program under the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
        300f et seq.);
            (10) in 2011, the Secretary of the Interior announced the 
        intention to promulgate new Federal regulations governing 
        hydraulic fracturing on Federal land;
            (11) a February 2012 study by the Energy Institute at the 
        University of Texas at Austin, entitled ``Fact-Based Regulation 
        for Environmental Protection in Shale Gas Development'', found 
        that ``[n]o evidence of chemicals from hydraulic fracturing 
        fluid has been found in aquifers as a result of fracturing 
        operations''; and
            (12) on October 1, 2014, the Ground Water Protection 
        Council and State Oil and Gas Regulatory Exchange released a 
        report entitled ``State Oil and Gas Regulations Designed to 
        Protect Water Resources'' that describes the cutting edge of 
        State-based oil and gas regulations, concluding that ``In step 
        with dramatic industry growth over the past five years, states 
        have substantially improved groundwater protection laws and 
        regulations governing oil and natural gas production.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF FEDERAL LAND.

    In this Act, the term ``Federal land'' means--
            (1) public lands (as defined in section 103 of the Federal 
        Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702));
            (2) National Forest System land;
            (3) land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of 
        Reclamation; and
            (4) land under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers.

SEC. 4. STATE AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--A State shall have the sole authority to 
promulgate or enforce any regulation, guidance, or permit requirement 
regarding the treatment of a well by the application of fluids under 
pressure to which propping agents may be added for the expressly 
designed purpose of initiating or propagating fractures in a target 
geologic formation in order to enhance production of oil, natural gas, 
or geothermal production activities on or under any land within the 
boundaries of the State.
    (b) Federal Land.--The treatment of a well by the application of 
fluids under pressure to which propping agents may be added for the 
expressly designed purpose of initiating or propagating fractures in a 
target geologic formation in order to enhance production of oil, 
natural gas, or geothermal production activities on Federal land shall 
be subject to the law of the State in which the land is located.

SOLUTION: Fracturing Regulations are Effective in State Hands Act  This bill gives states the sole authority to promulgate or enforce any regulation, guidance, or permit requirement regarding hydraulic fracturing on or under any land within their boundaries. Hydraulic fracturing or fracking is a process to extract underground resources such as oil or gas from a geologic formation by injecting water, a propping agent (e.g., sand), and chemical additives into a well under enough pressure to fracture the geological formation. Hydraulic fracturing on federal land must comply with the law of the state in which the land is located.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Health Care Waiver Fairness Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. PPACA WAIVER PROCESS.

    (a) In General.--Title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable 
Care Act (Public Law 111-148) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subtitle:

                      ``Subtitle G--Waiver Process

``SEC. 1601. ESTABLISHMENT OF WAIVER PROCESS.

    ``(a) In General.--The applicable authorities (as defined in 
subsection (c)) shall collectively establish a process (in this section 
referred to as the `waiver process') under which the administrator of a 
health plan, an employer, an individual, or other entity may seek to 
waive the application of a requirement under this title with respect to 
such plan, employer, individual, or entity. Among the requirements 
under this title, such process shall apply to the following:
            ``(1) Section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
        (relating to requirement to maintain minimum essential 
        coverage), as inserted by section 1501(b).
            ``(2) Section 6055 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
        (relating to reporting of health insurance coverage), as 
        inserted by section 1502(a).
            ``(3) Section 18A of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 
        (42 U.S.C. 218a, relating to automatic enrollment for employees 
        of large employers), as inserted by section 1511.
            ``(4) Section 18B of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 
        (42 U.S.C. 218b, relating to notice to employees), as inserted 
        by section 1512.
            ``(5) Section 4980H of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
        (relating to shared responsibility for employers regarding 
        health coverage), as inserted by section 1513(a).
            ``(6) Section 6056 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
        (relating to certain employers required to report on health 
        insurance coverage), as inserted by section 1514(a).
            ``(7) Section 10108 (relating to free choice vouchers).
            ``(8) Regulations regarding the treatment of group health 
        plans or health insurance coverage as a grandfathered health 
        plan (as defined in section 1251(e)).
            ``(9) Section 2718(b) of the Public Health Service Act 
        (relating to medical loss ratios), as inserted by section 1001.
    ``(b) Waiver Process.--
            ``(1) In general.--The applicable authorities shall 
        establish the waiver process consistent with the following:
                    ``(A) Notice and guidance.--Public notice and 
                guidance shall be provided regarding the process for 
                submission of waiver requests.
                    ``(B) Standard.--A waiver request with respect to 
                the application of a requirement to a plan, employer, 
                individual, or entity shall be accompanied by a 
                statement that--
                            ``(i) identifies the specific requirement 
                        (or requirements) to be waived; and
                            ``(ii) describes how the imposition of each 
                        specific requirement for which a waiver is 
                        requested on the plan, employer, individual, or 
                        entity would result in a significant decrease 
                        in access to coverage or a significant increase 
                        in premiums or other costs for such plan, 
                        employer, individual, or entity.
                    ``(C) Deemed approval.--A waiver request filed that 
                is accompanied by such a statement shall be deemed to 
                be approved.
                    ``(D) Publication of data.--The applicable 
                authorities shall regularly publish data regarding the 
                waiver requests received for the different 
                requirements.
            ``(2) Treatment of approved waivers.--In the case of 
        approval under the waiver process of a waiver request with 
        respect to a requirement of this title and an entity, 
        notwithstanding any other provision of law, such requirement 
        shall not apply to such entity on and after the date of 
        approval of the request.
            ``(3) Relation to other exemptions and exceptions.--Nothing 
        in this section shall be construed as superceding other 
        provisions of this title insofar as they provide for 
        exceptions, exemptions, or other special treatment with respect 
        to requirements under this title.
    ``(c) Applicable Authority.--In this section, the term `applicable 
authority' means--
            ``(1) except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services;
            ``(2) the Secretary of Labor with respect to the provisions 
        of this title, including amendments made by this title, that 
        are administered by such Secretary; and
            ``(3) the Secretary of the Treasury with respect to the 
        provisions of this title, including amendments made by this 
        title, that are administered by such Secretary, including 
        sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 specified in 
        subsection (a).
    ``(d) References to Requirements Under This Title.--In this 
section, a reference to a requirement under this title include such a 
requirement under an amendment made by this title, including as amended 
by title X of this Act or by the provisions of the Health Care and 
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152).
    ``(e) Public Awareness Campaign.--Of the amounts available in the 
Prevention and Public Health Fund established under section 4002, 
notwithstanding any other provision of law, $50,000,000 shall be 
available to and expended by the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to conduct, in coordination with other applicable authorities, a public 
awareness campaign of the waiver process. Amounts made available under 
this subsection shall remain available until expended.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act is 
amended by adding at the end of the items relating to title I the 
following:

                      ``Subtitle G--Waiver Process

``Sec. 1601. Establishment of waiver process.''.

SOLUTION: Health Care Waiver Fairness Act of 2011 - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Treasury to establish waiver processes under which the administrator of a health plan, an employer, an individual, or other entity may seek to waive the application of a health insurance coverage requirement under PPACA. Sets forth PPACA requirements that may be waived, including those related to minimum essential coverage and employers offering health care coverage to employees.

Establishes requirements for the waiver process, including requiring submission of a statement describing how the imposition of the PPACA requirement would result in a significant decrease in access to coverage or a significant increase in premiums or other costs for such plan, employer, individual, or entity. Deems to be approved any waiver including such a statement.

Requires the Secretary of HHS to conduct a public awareness campaign of the waiver process with funds made available for the Prevention and Public Health Fund.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Technology, Equality and 
Accessibility in College and Higher Education Act'' or the ``TEACH 
Act''.

SEC. 2. GUIDELINES FOR ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONIC INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS 
              AND RELATED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INSTITUTIONS OF 
              HIGHER EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board established pursuant to section 502 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 792) (in this Act referred to as 
the ``Access Board'') shall develop guidelines for the accessibility of 
electronic instructional materials and related information technologies 
in institutions of higher education. Such guidelines shall--
            (1) include performance criteria to ensure that such 
        materials and technologies are accessible to covered blind 
        individuals and covered individuals with a disability; and
            (2) be consistent with the standards for technical and 
        functional performance criteria issued pursuant to section 
        508(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
        794d(a)(2)(A)(ii)).
    (b) Harmonization With National and International Standards.--The 
Access Board shall, to the extent practicable, ensure that the 
guidelines issued under subsection (a) are consistent with national and 
international accessibility standards for electronic instructional 
materials and related information technologies.
    (c) Review and Amendment.--Not later than 3 years after the 
effective date of the guidelines described in subsection (a), and every 
3 years thereafter, the Access Board shall review and, as appropriate, 
amend such guidelines to reflect technological advances or changes in 
electronic instructional materials and related information 
technologies.

SEC. 3. SAFE HARBOR PROTECTIONS.

    Institutions of higher education that use electronic instructional 
materials and related information technologies that comply with the 
accessibility guidelines described in section 2 shall be deemed to be 
in compliance with the non-discrimination provisions section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) and titles II and III of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq., 42 
U.S.C. 12181 et seq.) with respect to the use of such materials or 
technologies.

SEC. 4. NONCOMPLIANT ELECTRONIC INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND RELATED 
              INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require an institution of 
higher education to use electronic instructional materials or related 
information technologies that conform to the accessibility guidelines 
described in section 2 if the institution of higher education provides 
such materials or technologies, or an accommodation or modification, 
that would allow covered blind individuals and covered individuals with 
a disability to receive the educational benefits of such materials or 
technologies--
            (1) in an equally effective and equally integrated manner 
        as non-disabled or non-blind students; and
            (2) with substantially equivalent ease of use of such 
        materials or technologies.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out section 2 of this Act.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act the following definitions apply:
            (1) Blind individual.--The term ``blind individual'' means 
        an individual whose central visual acuity does not exceed 20/
        200 in the better eye with correcting lenses or whose visual 
        acuity, if better than 20/200, is accompanied by a limit to the 
        field of vision in the better eye to such a degree that its 
        widest diameter subtends an angle of no greater than 20 
        degrees.
            (2) Covered blind individual and covered individual with a 
        disability.--The terms ``covered blind individual'' and 
        ``covered individual with a disability'' mean a blind 
        individual or an individual with a disability whose blindness 
        or disability limits the ability of such individual to access 
        electronic instructional materials and related information 
        technologies.
            (3) Disability.--The term ``disability'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities 
        Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102).
            (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (5) Electronic instructional material.--The term 
        ``electronic instructional material'' means digital curricular 
        content including course-assigned books, journals, articles, 
        and web pages, used by students, faculty, or administrative 
        personnel of an institution of higher education to facilitate 
        the teaching and learning process, including technologies used 
        in distance education as defined in section 103 of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1003).
            (6) Related information technology.--The term ``related 
        information technology''--
                    (A) means any electronic platform or delivery 
                system used by students, faculty, or administrative 
                personnel of an institution of higher education to 
                access electronic instructional materials; and
                    (B) includes any hardware, firmware, software, and 
                applications required for the manipulation, annotation, 
                and dissemination of such electronic instructional 
                materials.

SOLUTION:
Technology, Equality and Accessibility in College and Higher Education Act or the TEACH Act - Directs the Access Board to develop accessibility guidelines for electronic instructional materials and related information technologies in institutions of higher education (IHEs). Requires those guidelines to: (1) include performance criteria to ensure that electronic instructional materials and related information technologies are accessible to the blind and disabled; (2) be consistent with the standards for technical and functional performance criteria issued pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and (3) be, to the extent practicable, consistent with national and international accessibility standards for those materials and technologies. Directs the Access Board to review and, as appropriate, amend the guidelines every three years to reflect technological advances or changes in electronic instructional materials and related information technologies. Deems IHEs that use electronic instructional materials and related information technologies that comply with the guidelines to be in compliance with nondiscrimination provisions under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.