84th Texas Legislature Regular Session update, March 9, 2015

You can read more on the Texas Senate News page, the Texas House of Representatives News page, and from the Texas Tribune. (If you have a favorite source of info, please share!)

House Bills

HB 2100: Relating to the creation of the East Houston Management District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, or taxes.
HB 2115: Relating to the initial inspection period for motor vehicles purchased by certain commercial fleet buyers.
HB 2119: Relating to charitable organizations, including charitable organizations that may conduct prescribed burning.
HB 2120: Relating to changing the name of the Department of Agriculture.
HB 2121: Relating to the repeal of obsolete laws governing county road systems in certain counties.
HB 2132: Relating to certain exemptions from the requirement to obtain a permit from a groundwater conservation district; authorizing a fee.
HB 2139: Relating to the cost of goods sold for purposes of the franchise tax for certain zoos and aquariums.
HB 2164: Relating to the applicability of certain unfunded mandates on political subdivisions.
HB 2178: Relating to waiving a Parks and Wildlife Department fee for certain veterans and other military personnel taking the hunter education course.
HB 2179: Relating to hearings that concern the issuance of permits by a groundwater conservation district.
HB 2181: Relating to designating the Interstate Highway 45 causeway to Galveston the George and Cynthia Mitchell Causeway.
HB 2184: Relating to liability of certain electric utilities that allow certain uses of land that the electric utility owns, occupies, or leases.
HB 2187: Relating to the regulation of metal recycling entities; imposing an administrative penalty.
HB 2200: Relating to the powers of the Greater Greenspoint Management District of Harris County.
HB 2210: Relating to the regulation of metal recycling entities; imposing an administrative penalty.
HB 2229: Relating to the creation of regional transit authorities; granting the power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds and charge fees.
HB 2230: Relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to authorize an injection well used for oil and gas waste disposal to be used for the disposal of nonhazardous brine produced by a desalination operation or nonhazardous drinking water treatment residuals.
HB 2236: Relating to the requirements for the casing and cementing of an oil or gas well.
HB 2238: Relating to municipal authority to regulate wind turbines in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality.
HB 2244: Relating to the regulation of medical waste.
HB 2248: Relating to the land application of sewage sludge in certain counties.
HB 2253: Relating to a report by the Public Utility Commission of Texas on retail electric service minimum usage fees and usage credits.
HB 2254: Relating to certain fees, charges, or credits based on a customer’s electricity use in areas where competition has been introduced.
HB 2256: Relating to the transfer of functions relating to the rates and services of certain gas utilities, propane distribution system retailers, and submetering from the Railroad Commission of Texas to the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
HB 2284: Relating to the revocation of certain water utilities’ certificate of public convenience and necessity for major rules violations.
HB 2289: Relating to the security of the electric grid.
HB 2303: Relating to a landowner’s liability for injuries incurred during certain recreational activities.
HB 2305: Relating to the eligibility for an exemption from ad valorem taxation for property used by certain nonprofit community business organizations.
HB 2306: Relating to the additional tax imposed on land appraised for ad valorem tax purposes as qualified open-space land if a change in use of the land occurs.
HB 2308: Relating to the consideration by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of the economic impact of an appropriation of state water in determining whether to grant an application for the appropriation.
HB 2309: Relating to the regulation of a roadside vendor or solicitor by the commissioners court of a county.
HB 2313: Relating to an exemption from the sales and use tax for items sold through a vending machine operated by certain nonprofit organizations.
HB 2334: Relating to the deposit of certain fees and penalties from programs administered by the Department of Agriculture.
HB 2345: Relating to the boundaries and territory of the Near Northside Management District.
HB 2362: Relating to the inclusion of a draft impact analysis in the notice of rules proposed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
HB 2380: Relating to regulating the sale of batteries to metal recycling entities.
HB 2392: Relating to the establishment of a residential energy efficiency loan program.
HB 2402: Relating to a study and report by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on the feasibility of providing off-campus employment positions through the Texas college work-study program.
HB 2406: Relating to the study of certain municipal transit systems by the Texas Transportation Institute.
HB 2423: Relating to a study and report by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on the feasibility of providing off-campus employment positions through the Texas college work-study program.
HB 2425: Relating to water quality improvement and pollution reduction through beverage container recycling incentives; assessing a fee; providing penalties; creating a criminal offense.
HB 2440: Relating to the regulation of transportation network companies; imposing and authorizing fees; requiring an occupational permit.
HB 2454: Relating to flood control storage requirements established by the Fort Bend County Drainage District.
HB 2459: Relating to the operation of a motor vehicle in the vicinity of an unprotected road user; creating a criminal offense.
HB 2460: Relating to allowing certain counties to regulate the land application of certain sewage sludge.
SB 980: Relating to jurisdiction in an eminent domain proceeding in Harris County.
SB 991: Relating to a requirement that the General Land Office and the Texas Water Development Board conduct a study regarding the use of wind and solar power to develop and desalinate brackish groundwater.
SB 992: Relating to recovery of costs for pilot programs to measure energy savings that result from water conservation programs.
HB 2492: Relating to exemption from the sales tax for certain water-efficient products for a limited period.
HB 2495: Relating to citrus pest and disease management.
HB 2500: Relating to a franchise tax deduction for certain energy-generating equipment.
HB 2502: Relating to the commencement of construction of a project following the filing of a final decision to issue an air quality permit or permit amendment for the project.
HB 2521: Relating to transferring from the state to a county the revenue derived from oil and gas leases of land owned by the county to be used by the county for road maintenance purposes.
HB 2526: Relating to authorizing the East Downtown Management District to impose a tax, fee, or assessment on a residential property.
HB 2528: Relating to the authority of a water district to accept donations to fund certain economic development programs.
HB 2532: Relating to a study on the effectiveness of regulations governing the design and construction of Type I municipal solid waste landfills overlying aquifers.
HB 2536: Relating to jurisdiction in an eminent domain proceeding in Harris County.
HB 2548: Relating to the disposal of agricultural pesticides.
HB 2549: Relating to the authority and operation of regional tollway authorities.
HB 2551: Relating to the evaluation of the reduction of emissions of air contaminants achieved from certain programs.
HB 2554: Relating to pedestrian use of a sidewalk.
HB 2556: Relating to the criminal penalty for certain outdoor burning violations.
HCR 72: Requesting the lieutenant governor and speaker to provide for a joint interim study regarding economic development in the Texas coastal region
HJR 103: Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the governor to reduce the amount of an item of appropriation in an appropriations bill.
HJR 110: Proposing a constitutional amendment allowing a state mandate imposed on a county to have effect only if the state provides for payment to the county of the cost of the mandate.
HR 898: Honoring the Texas State Aquarium on the 30th anniversary of its designation as the Official Aquarium of Texas.

Senate Bills

SB 854: Relating to the renewal or amendment of certain permits issued by groundwater conservation districts.
SB 863: Relating to the audit of river authorities by the state auditor’s office.
SB 878: Relating to a limitation on the expansion of certain landfills.
SB 879: Relating to the review by certain governmental entities of a permit application for a solid waste facility.
SB 882: Relating to municipal authority to regulate wind turbines in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality.
SB 883: Relating to the applicability of certain unfunded mandates on political subdivisions.
SB 887: Relating to the powers of the Greater Greenspoint Management District of Harris County.
SB 896: Relating to the creation of the East Houston Management District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, or taxes.
SB 911: Relating to the eligibility for grants for natural gas fueling stations under the Texas natural gas vehicle grant program.
SB 912: Relating to a volume-based exemption from reporting requirements for certain accidental discharges or spills from wastewater facilities.
SB 913: Relating to energy and water management planning and reporting requirements for state agencies and institutions of higher education.
SB 922: Relating to authorizing the optional imposition of a county air quality fee at the time other emissions-related inspection fees are collected.
SB 929: Relating to building energy efficiency performance standards; establishing the Building Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee.
SB 931: Relating to the goal for renewable energy and competitive renewable energy zones.
SB 933: Relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to review transmission interconnections that enable imports or exports from the ERCOT power grid.
SB 937: Relating to nontolled lanes on a highway that has been converted from a nontolled highway to a toll project.
SB 938: Relating to the exercise of eminent domain by a toll project entity.
SB 941: Relating to the standard of review for a determination of standing in a contested case hearing conducted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
SB 974: Relating to the additional tax imposed if the use of land located in certain counties and appraised for ad valorem tax purposes as open-space land is changed.
SB 1032: Relating to authority for certain state employees to work flexible hours and to work from home or other authorized alternative work sites.
SB 1038: Relating to a study by the General Land Office regarding the feasibility of creating a mechanism by which a governmental entity could acquire small parcels of real property in an area and convey them to a developer in order to ensure the property is developed in compliance with model subdivision rules.
SB 1044: Relating to the authority of a customer to choose not to have an advanced meter and to liability for damages caused by an advanced meter.
SB 1048: Relating to prohibiting the use of certain federal funds for a mass transit passenger rail project.
SR 282: Congratulating Ellis Pickett for earning the Surfrider Coastal Impact Award.