85th Texas Legislature Regular Session Update – March 30, 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.
The Legislative Reference Library provides a detailed chart containing statistics of the 85th Legislature as well as previous sessions. Here is a chart of the 85th Legislature, and here is a chart of the 84th legislature along with all previous sessions.
The current proposal for cuts to the EPA could have an impact on Texas’ environment. Air Alliance Houston wrote an article explaining this topic more in depth and what certain issues may arise.
The League of Conservation Voters is closely watching HB 2395: relating to testing for lead contamination in both public and charter school drinking water. This bill is currently in committee and has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.
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 3/23/17: The bill has been assigned to the Environmental Regulation Committee and has a scheduled hearing on March 28.Â
- 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 3/23/17: Both SB 113 and SB 176 are left pending, and SB 361 has made it out of committee.Â
- 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.
- 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/gas drilling. The bill has not been assigned to a committee.
- If you have a favorite source of info, please share!
Updates on Committees & Bills in the 85th Legislative Session
- Agriculture & Livestock - Met on March 29
- Bills to note:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- HB 1535 – prohibition of pesticides on public road rights of way
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Bills to note:
- Agriculture, Water, & Rural Affairs – Met on March 27
- Bills to note:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- SB 189 – permit to drill injection wells
- SB 538 – planning for responses to drought
- SB 1454 – study/approval of lethal pesticides
- The Sierra Club, EDF, and other nonprofit organization have written letters in opposition to this bill. The Sierra Club has an article stating their opposition.
- Bills out of committee:
- SB 546 – quality of water by public drinking water supply
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Bills to note:
- Business & Commerce – Met on March 21
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Energy Resources – Scheduled to meet April 3
- Environmental Regulation -Â Met on March 28
- Bills to note:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Bills scheduled for a hearing:
- HB 1927Â -Â alert system for release of toxic chemicals by manufacturing facility: Status Update
- HB 2086 & HB 2088 – permits on concrete batch plants
- Bills out of committee:
- Bills to note:
- Land & Resource Management - Met on March 28
- Natural Resources - Met on March 29
- Natural Resources & Economic Development - Scheduled to meet on March 30
- State Affairs – Met on March 21
- Bills pending/in committee:
- HB 2204 – water projects, treatment works, flood control measures
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Urban Affairs - Met on March 14
- Bills pending/in committee:
- HB 2052 – tree planting credit
- Bills pending/in committee:
Read on for a list of recently filed bills pertaining to the environment.
House Bills
- HB 4274 -Â Relating to the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District’s groundwater reduction plan.