83rd Texas Legislature Regular Session, February 11, 2013

CEC is sharing information during the session about what bills our member groups and readers are tracking. More information is available at cechouston.org/category/texas-legislature/.

As of February 11, 2013, 680 bills have been filed by the Senate and 1651 bills have been filed by the House. Learn more at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Reports/General.aspx. Other helpful links:

• Texas Senate Week in Review
• Texas House Committee Schedules

The following are bills (SB=Senate Bill, HB=House Bill, and HJR=House Joint Resolution) which may be of interest to the region’s environmental community and which have been filed in the past week:

•  SB 300: Relating to funding for certain county transportation infrastructure projects.
• SB 302: Relating to the management, operation, rulemaking authority, and oversight of groundwater conservation districts.
• SB 305: Relating to an exemption from the sales tax for certain solar energy
  devices.
• SB 342: Relating to exemption from the sales tax for certain water efficient products for a limited period.
• SB 347: Relating to funding for the operations of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission.
• SB 364: Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to provide sewer service to areas within the municipal boundaries without obtaining a certificate of public
  convenience and necessity.
• SB 373: Relating to indexing fees charged for certain nonresident hunting and fishing licenses to fees charged for certain resident hunting and fishing licenses.
• SB 374: Relating to a 14-day general hunting license for non-residents; imposing a fee.
• SB 375: Relating to the expiration date of hunting and fishing licenses, stamps,
  permits, or tags.
• SB 385: Relating to authorizing assessments for water and energy improvements in districts designated by municipalities and counties.
• SB 403: Relating to the establishment of a community development grocery store and healthy corner store revolving loan fund program.
• SB 405: Relating to the applicability of state law regulating the decommissioning costs of certain newly constructed commercial nuclear-powered electric generating
  facilities.
• SB 410: Relating to the management and operation of certain municipally owned electric utilities.
• SB 434: Relating to the procedural requirements for action by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on applications for production area authorizations.
• SB 446: Relating to allowable transfers to the Parks and Wildlife Department and the
  Texas Historical Commission of proceeds from the taxes on the sale, storage, or
  use of sporting goods.
• SB 448: Relating to the audit of certain river authorities.
• SB 454: Relating to the authority of certain conservation and reclamation districts to
  file an annual financial report with the executive director of the Texas
  Commission on Environmental Quality in lieu of filing an annual audit report.
• SB 456: Relating to building code standards for new residential construction in the
  unincorporated area of a county.
• SB 459: Relating to the sale, storage, transportation, and disposal of scrap or used
  tires; providing a civil penalty; creating an offense.
• SB 466: Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation to
  participate in certain federal transportation programs.
• SB 467: Relating to the regulatory analysis of rules proposed by the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality.
• SB 468: Relating to endangered species habitat conservation.
• SB 487: Relating to all-terrain vehicles and recreational off-highway vehicles.
• SJR 17: Proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the appropriation of the net revenue received from the imposition of the state sales and use tax on sporting
  goods.
• SJR 20: Proposing a constitutional amendment dedicating certain revenue derived from the tax imposed on the sale of motor vehicles to the state highway fund.
• SJR 25: Proposing a constitutional amendment prescribing the purposes for which revenue from motor vehicle registration fees, certain motor vehicle-related taxes, and
  certain revenues received from the federal government may be used.
• HB 761: Relating to building code standards for new residential construction in the unincorporated area of a county.
• HB 762: Relating to restrictions on disaster remediation contracts following a locally declared disaster.
• HB 782: Relating to the allocation of certain motor vehicle sales tax revenue to the state highway fund and to the uses of that revenue.
• HB 787: Relating to incentives for the purchase or lease of an electric-powered light-duty motor vehicle.
• HB 788: Relating to regulation of greenhouse gas emissions by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
• SB 810: Relating to distribution of state agency reports to legislators.
• SB 824: Relating to a volume-based exemption from reporting requirements for accidental discharges or spills from wastewater facilities.
• HB 840: Relating to the identification of breeder deer.
• HB 841: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Center for Innovative Desalination Technology at the University of Houston in partnership with The University of Texas at El Paso.
• HB 852: Relating to the sale and purchase of shark fins or products derived from shark fins; creating an offense.
• HB 857: Relating to the frequency of water audits by certain retail public utilities.
• HB 876: Relating to permit application requirements for solid waste facilities.
• HB 878: Relating to the filing with the state of well logs by operators of oil-related or gas-related wells; providing a penalty.
• HB 896: Relating to allowable transfers to the Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission of proceeds from the taxes on the sale, storage, or use of sporting goods.
• HB 993: Relating to public notice by the Parks and Wildlife Department of consumption advisories for mercury contamination in certain aquatic and terrestrial animals, including fish, crustaceans, and molluscan shellfish.
• HB 994: Relating to the applicability of state law regulating the decommissioning costs of certain newly constructed commercial nuclear-powered electric generating facilities.
• HB 1015: Relating to the regulation of big cats and nonhuman primates; providing penalties.
• HB 1028: Relating to expedited release from a certificate of public convenience and necessity for water and sewer service for certain landowners.
• HB 1054: Relating to a prohibition on converting a nontolled state highway or segment of the state highway system to a toll project.
• HB 1079: Relating to the procedural requirements for action by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on applications for production area authorizations.
• HB 1080: Relating to the issuance of permits for dairy farming in certain areas of the state.
• HB 1081: Relating to a study regarding the prohibition of dairy farming in certain areas of the state.
• HB 1094: Relating to authorizing assessments for water and energy improvements in districts designated by municipalities and counties.
• HB 1102: Relating to the accommodation of pedestrians, bicyclists, persons with disabilities, children, senior citizens, users of public transportation, movers of commercial goods, and motorists on streets and highways.
• HB 1205: Relating to the allocation of certain motor fuel tax revenue to the state highway fund.
• HB 1106: Relating to the identification and operation of vessels in the waters of this state.
• HB 1108: Relating to the services that a registered drain cleaner may perform without the supervision of a licensed master plumber.
• HB 1115: Relating to the eligibility for grants for natural gas fueling stations under the Texas natural gas vehicle grant program.
• HB 1116: Relating to the creation of the Texas Native Seed Competitive Grant Program.
• HB 1134: Relating to performance and payment security for certain comprehensive development agreements.
• HB 1135: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Native Seeds Committee.
• HB 1144: Relating to availability of certain information regarding energy use and efficiency of certain residential property.
• HB 1148: Relating to the reimbursement of a municipality’s expenses in a ratemaking proceeding for electric or gas utilities.
• HB 1149: Relating to the establishment of integrated rate areas subject to the original jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Texas.
• HB 1160: Relating to the transfer of a certificate of convenience and necessity in certain municipalities.
• HB 1168: Relating to the exemption of dedicated cemetery property from drainage fees.
• HB 1170: Relating to all-terrain vehicles and recreational off-highway vehicles.
• HB 1171: Relating to civil liability for certain damages caused by advanced meters.
• HB 1173: Relating to a credit against the ad valorem taxes imposed on property on which certain water conservation systems have been installed.
• HB 1179: Relating to the payment of restitution for the taking of wildlife resources without the property owner’s consent.
• HJR 63: Proposing a constitutional amendment dedicating a portion of the state’s oil and gas tax revenue to construction, reconstruction, acquisition, and expansion of roads in counties in which a shale formation is located.
• HJR 68: Proposing a constitutional amendment dedicating certain revenue derived from the tax imposed on the sale of motor vehicles to the state highway fund.