This week has seen several bills related to water: greywater, rainwater, groundwater, water rights, water basin transfers, water impoundment, water rights… The allocation of funds from various taxes–notably sporting goods and motor vehicles–has cropped up again this week. Other bills relate to the name of the Tx Railroad Commission (How ’bout TX Energy Resources Commission?), traffic lights, motocycles, fourwheelers, SEPs, the TCEQ, alternative fuel, agritourism, metal recycling, hydraulic fracturing, development, and United Nations Agenda 21.

Also, the House has finally assigned its members to committees and has begun referring bills to those committees. While any committee could consider legislation pertaining to the environment, the following committees might be of particular interest:

• Agriculture & Livestock
• Appropriations
• Business & Industry
• County Affairs
• Culture, Recreation & Tourism
• Government Transparency & Operation (Daylight savings time)
• Energy Resources
• Environmental Regulation
• Land & Resource Management
• Natural Resources
• Special Purpose Districts
• State Affairs (smart thermostats)
• Transportation (includes bike-ped issues and the Texas Emissions Reduction Program)
• Urban Affairs

House Bills

HB 1078: Relating to the allocation of the proceeds from taxes imposed on the sale, storage, or use of sporting goods.
HB 1081: Relating to the allocation of certain motor vehicle sales tax revenue to the state highway fund.
HB 1106: Relating to the name of the Railroad Commission of Texas.
HB 1113: Relating to the standard of review for a determination of standing in a contested case hearing conducted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
HB 1121: Relating to a study on the implementation of a traffic light synchronization program.
HB 1146: Relating to persons who may operate a public water supply system.
HB 1147: Relating to the operation of all-terrain vehicles and recreational off-highway vehicles.
HB 1153: Relating to the repeal of the junior priority of a water right authorizing a transfer of water from one river basin in this state to another river basin in this state.
HB 1158: Relating to the use of money received by a nonprofit organization to implement a supplemental environmental project.
HB 1183: Relating to the authority of certain entities to enter into a comprehensive development agreement.
HB 1184: Relating to authorizing certain alternative fuel programs as eligible for local government energy savings performance contracts.
HB 1189: Relating to the management of commercial oyster boat licenses issued in this state.
HB 1191: Relating to the regulation of commercial development of groundwater in certain areas.
HB 1192: Relating to permissible uses of graywater for domestic use.
HB 1193: Relating to a local option exemption from ad valorem taxation of the portion of the appraised value of a person’s property that is attributable to the installation on the property of a rainwater harvesting system.
HB 1203: Relating to limited liability for an agritourism entity involved in an agritourism activity.

Senate Bills

SB 5: Relating to the allocation of certain motor vehicle sales tax revenue to the state highway fund and to the uses of that revenue.
SB 437: Relating to the method of payment for regulated material purchased by a metal recycling entity.
SB 440: Relating to the authority of a county or municipality to prohibit hydraulic fracturing treatment.
SB 442: Relating to the operation and movement of motorcycles on certain highways during periods of traffic congestion.
SB 445: Relating to public agreements or contracts related to United Nations Agenda 21.
SB 449: Relating to the definition of a motorcycle.
SB 483: Relating to notice of water level fluctuations to purchasers of real property adjoining an impoundment of water.

Senate Joint Resolution

SJR 5: Proposing a constitutional amendment dedicating certain revenue derived from the tax imposed on the sale of motor vehicles to the state highway fund.