85th Texas Legislature Regular Session Update – March 21, 2017
The 85th Legislature has been assigning bills to house and senate committees, and some bills have made it out of committee. You can read more on the Texas Senate News page and on the Texas House of Representatives News page.
Update for SB 103: Relating to the provision of bags to customers of a business at the point of sale: The Senate Business & Commerce Committee held a hearing Tuesday, March 14, 2017, and a number of groups–including Texas Campaign for the Environment, Galveston Bay Foundation, and Surfriders–were present to make opposing arguments. The bill was left pending in committee.
Earthworks Texas chapter is closely watching House Bill 3403: Relating to the authority of a municipality to require that certain oil and gas operations be set back a certain distance from child-care facilities and schools. This bill challenges legislation passed two years ago that restricts the limits that cities can impose on urban oil/gal drilling. The bill has not been assigned to a committee.
Let us know what legislation you are watching!
Additional resources:
- Air Alliance Houston encourages you to learn about the importance of HB 1927. Air Alliance Houston provides an informative Toxic Alert Fact Sheet that explains what the bill entails and what toxic emergencies Houston had in 2016. Update 3/20/17: The bill has been assigned to the Environmental Regulation Committee.
- The Texas Campaign for the Environment is currently proposing action on recycling used batteries (HB 1874). The Texas Campaign for the Environment has a post about recycling batteries and what steps should be taken in order for this to be resolved. Update 3/20/17: The Environmental Regulation Committee held a hearing today; the bill is still pending.
- The Texas A&M Transportation Institute Policy Center is currently reviewing three bills relating to ridesharing: SB 113, SB 176, & SB 361. Off the Kuff provides a detailed insight explaining what the bills consist of as well as their current status in the legislation. Update 3/20/17: While committee hearings have been held for these bills, none are out of committee.
- The Texas Tribune covers the legislature with enthusiasm.
- The Nature Conservancy organization promotes the development of solutions that conserve nature as well as those around it. They are currently engaging in the 85th Texas Legislature and have a Texas State Legislative Priorities list explaining their efforts to promote preserving the environment.
- January Advisors has a website that displays an interactive map providing detailed information in regards to district geography and politics. You can click on each district and see what the selected representative from that area has proposed.
- Download a list of current state and federal legislation pertinent to Gulf-Houston Regional Conservation Plan (PDF) issues.
- Alliance for a Clean Texas (ACT) is an organization that promotes protecting the land, air, and water throughout the state of Texas.  Their website, as well as their weekly newsletters, are a great tool to learn more about current environmental issues, organizations that partner with the ACT, and current legislation updates. If you would like to sign up for their newsletter, click here! CEC member organizations that are part of the Alliance include Air Alliance Houston, Environment Texas, Environmental Defense Fund, Sierra Club, Texas Campaign for the Environment, and the Texas League of Conservation Voters.
- If you have a favorite source of info, please share!
Updates on Committees & Bills in the 85th Legislative Session
- Agriculture & Livestock – scheduled to meet March 22.
- One bill of note will be discussed on the 22nd:
- HB 950 Relating to the qualification of land for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as qualified open-space land.
- Thirteen additional bills are in committee, relating to apiaries, open space designations, cattle, and pesticides.
- One bill of note will be discussed on the 22nd:
- Agriculture, Water, & Rural Affairs – Met on March 20. Seventy-three bills are in committee, and nine have made it out of committee. Bills of note include:
- SB 726 – Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District: Status Update
- SB 864 – right to use state water: Status Update
- SB 1392 – groundwater conservation districts: Status Update
- SB 1416 – construction contracts for certain water supply projects: Status Update
- SB 1423 – supervision of water districts by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Status Update
- Business & Commerce – Met on March 21. Of 276 bills assigned to the committee, 17 have made it out of committee, including bills relating to water rights and water conservation districts.
- SB 1382 – local government energy savings performance contracts: Status Update
- Business & Industry – scheduled to meet March 13
- Economic & Small Business
- HB 2362 – grants to local entities affected by decreased oil and gas production: Status Update
- Energy Resources – scheduled to meet March 13
- Environmental Regulation – scheduled to meet March 21
- HB 1619 – prosecution and punishment of certain outdoor burning: Status Update
- HB 2086 – permit issued by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Status Update
- Higher Education – scheduled to meet March 8
- Land & Resource Management – scheduled to meet March 15
- HB 1685 – General Land office to sell retail electric power: Status Update
- Natural Resources - scheduled to meet March 15
- HB 2264 – interbasin transfers of water: Status Update
- HB 2376 – on-site wastewater treatment permit application: Status Update
- HB 2377 – development of brackish groundwater: Status Update
- HB 2378 – transfer of groundwater: Status Update
- Natural Resources & Economic Development – scheduled to meet March 14
- SB 26 – texas emissions reduction plan: Status UpdateÂ
- State Affairs – scheduled to meet March 8
- Urban Affairs – scheduled to meet March 14
- HB 2052 – tree planting credit to offset tree mitigation fees: Status Update
- Veteran Affairs & Border Security – scheduled to meet March 8
- Ways & Means – scheduled to meet March 15
- HB 2241 – structure rendered as unhabitable or unusable: Status Update
- HB 2277 – median cost of high-cost gas wells
Read on for a list of recently filed bills pertaining to the environment.
House Bills
- HB 31 -Â Relating to the regulation of groundwater.
- HB 3525 -Â Relating to the referral by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to the State Office of Administrative Hearings of an issue regarding an application for a water right.
- HB 3576 -Â Relating to the collection and release of information on the Zika virus and other high consequence communicable diseases for certain purposes.
- HB 3582 -Â Relating to the abolition of certain entities associated with the Department of Agriculture.
- HB 3590 -Â Relating to reducing regulations on the application of certain pesticides by school district employees.
- HB 3602 -Â Relating to the treatment of certain types of water by water treatment specialists.
- HB 3618 -Â Relating to water quality permitting.
- HB 3634 -Â Relating to the amendment of the Texas Health Care Transformation and Quality Improvement Program waiver.
- HB 3644 -Â Relating to the collection of soil monitoring samples from land application units where sewage sludge or domestic septage is applied.
- HB 3677 -Â Relating to the creation of the Heart of Texas Aquifer District and the dissolution of certain groundwater conservation districts; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, or surcharges.
- HB 3679 -Â Relating to signs informing motorists of facilities providing alternative fuels.
- HB 3682 -Â Relating to requiring the statewide health coordinating council and state health plan to examine and report on the impact of low health literacy on consumers and the health care system.
- HB 3695 -Â Relating to lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities.
- HB 3704 -Â Relating to the allocation of certain fees on the sale of cigarettes and cigarette tobacco products manufactured by certain companies to the permanent health fund for higher education and to the use of money in that fund.
- HB 3709 -Â Relating to authorizing a county to impose a tax on the sale of certain solid materials and substances.
- HB 3717 -Â Relating to programs to provide incentives for conserving water in outdoor landscapes.
- HB 3726 -Â Relating to certain examination and continuing education requirements for applicants for and holders of liquefied petroleum gas licenses.
- HB 3735 -Â Relating to an application for a new or amended water right submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 3746 -Â Relating to the permissible uses of the floodplain management account.
- HB 3889 -Â Relating to a study on public drinking water infrastructure by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 3946 -Â Relating to the functions of the Texas Low Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission.
- HB 3975 -Â Relating to qualification of land for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as timber land.
- HB 3988 -Â Relating to the authority of a county to implement a pilot program to reuse wastewater at county facilities.
- HB 3991 -Â Relating to appropriations of water for use in aquifer storage and recovery projects.
- HB 4006 -Â Relating to a requirement that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality obtain or develop updated water availability models for all of the river basins in this state.
- HB 4025 -Â Relating to the relationship between the amount of an administrative penalty imposed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the economic benefit of the violation to the alleged violator.
- HB 4045 -Â Relating to the regulation and permitting of groundwater.
- HB 4050 -Â Relating to exports of groundwater from a groundwater conservation district.
- HB 4058 -Â Relating to systems of prior authorization for the control, management, and disposal of certain nonhazardous, industrial solid wastes for which there are minimum federal requirements.
- HB 4059 -Â Relating to the transfer of certain property from The University of Texas System to the Parks and Wildlife Department.
- HB 4067 -Â Relating to the applicability of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality rules relating to recycling facilities.
- HB 4113 -Â Relating to the name and governance of the Railroad Commission of Texas.
- HB 4162 -Â Relating to exports of groundwater from a groundwater conservation district.
- HB 4164 -Â Relating to the procedures for adopting a moratorium on the issuance of permits by groundwater conservation districts.
- HB 4166 -Â Relating to the applicability of certain rules when considering an application for a permit to drill or operate a well.
- HB 4221 -Â Relating to requiring owners of sanitary sewer systems to report the current condition of a system’s infrastructure to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 4230 -Â Relating to the authority of the Texas Water Development Board to provide financial assistance to political subdivisions for flood control or mitigation projects.
- HB 4231 -Â Relating to allocating a portion of oil and gas production tax revenue to the counties from which the oil and gas originated.
Senate Bills
- SB 1580 -Â Relating to the testing of drinking water from and the replacement and repair of drinking water outlets and water lines on publicly owned and operated property.
- SB 1587 -Â Relating to lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities.
- SB 1597 -Â Relating to a requirement that the General Land Office conduct an evaluation and submit a report regarding the use of wind and solar power to desalinate brackish groundwater on real property owned by the state.
- SB 1598 -Â Relating to applications for permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain new or expanded facilities in certain low-income and minority communities.
- SB 1628 -Â Relating to the replacement of contested case hearings for certain environmental permits with a petition for administrative review.
- SB 1629 -Â Relating to systems of prior authorization for the control, management, and disposal of certain nonhazardous, industrial solid wastes for which there are minimum federal requirements.
- SB 1667 -Â Relating to the functions of the Texas Low Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission.
- SB 1683 -Â Relating to food allergen awareness in food service establishments.
- SB 1707 -Â Relating to funding for county transportation infrastructure projects in counties with significant oil and gas production.
- SB 1708 -Â Relating to funding for counties for transportation infrastructure projects located in areas of the state affected by increased oil and gas production, including administration of county energy transportation reinvestment zones.
- SB 1715 -Â Relating to the use of corrugated stainless steel tubing in residential and commercial structures.
- SB 1723 -Â Relating to the collection of soil monitoring samples from land application units where sewage sludge or domestic septage is applied.
- SB 1724 -Â Relating to a permit requirement for the land application of domestic septage.
- SB 1868 -Â Relating to the requirement of a public hearing on certain applications for a permit to drill an oil or gas well.
- SB 1871 -Â Relating to the creation of the offense of petroleum product or oil and gas equipment theft.
- SB 1915 -Â Relating to the prosecution and punishment of certain outdoor burning violations.
- SB 1988 -Â Relating to the nonsubstantive revision of certain local laws concerning water and wastewater special districts, including conforming amendments.
- SB 2026 -Â Relating to a study and report by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on the use of green stormwater infrastructure in this state.
- SB 2099 -Â Relating to the authority of the Railroad Commission of Texas to enforce requirements for the prevention of damage to interstate and intrastate underground facilities.
- SB 2100 -Â Relating to a study of the fees charged by the Railroad Commission of Texas.
- SB 2120 -Â Relating to the continuation of the Railroad Commission of Texas.
- SB 2154 -Â Relating to the amendment to an existing permit for a municipal solid waste landfill facility to accept increased amounts of Class 1 industrial solid waste.
- SB 2155 -Â Relating to the issuance or amendment of a permit for a solid waste landfill facility or hazardous waste land disposal unit to be located in a special flood hazard area.
- SB 2162 -Â Relating to a prohibition on the approval by the Railroad Commission of Texas of an application for a permit for a commercial surface disposal facility located near certain reservoirs.
- SB 2193 -Â Relating to the regulation of certain aggregate production operations by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; authorizing an increase in the amount of a fee.