86th Texas Legislature Updates: March 5, 2019
Legislators continued to file bills for the 86th Texas Legislative Session. Bills of note relate to the establishment of the Bee Pollinator Goals Task Force to develop and report on statewide pollinator goals, Texas emissions reduction plan, effluent from oil and gas activities, energy efficiency standards, sand mining, windborne and waterborne litter, concrete plants, invasive species, wind-powered generation, and to retaliation against state employees for referring to climate change or global warming.
House Bill 1491, filed on February 7, 2019, by Representative Ron Reynolds, proposes the establishment of the Texas Environmental Justice Advisory Council. The bills states, “The council shall review each state agency and state program that serves to protect the environment to evaluate the agency’s or program’s positive and negative effects on environmental justice for affected people…. Representatives of a community that is experiencing unfair treatment in the development, adoption, implementation, or enforcement of environmental law or policy may petition the council to create a community action plan.” House Bill 1491 was referred to the House Committee on Environment Regulation on February 27, 2019.
House Bill 488, filed on December 7, 2018, by Representative Drew Springer, relates to the protection of public freshwater areas. This bill was referred to the House Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism and, along with a number of other bills, is scheduled for a public hearing on March, 5, 2019.
The deadline for the unrestricted filing of bills and joint resolutions–other than local bills, emergency appropriations, and emergency matters submitted by the governor–is March 8, 2019.
We’d love to know what bills you are watching. Send an email to madeline.bell@cechouston.org.
House of Representatives
Recently filed bills
- HB 2483: Relating to the prohibition of certain pesticides on public road rights-of-way.
- HB 2484: Relating to the establishment of the Bee Pollinator Goals Task Force to develop and report on statewide pollinator goals.
- HB 2558: Relating to prohibited retaliation against state employees for referring to climate change or global warming.
- HB 2560: Relating to a debris management plan and training.
- HB 2581: Relating to the administration of and funding for the Texas emissions reduction plan; reducing a surcharge.
- HB 2670: Relating to the regulation of beekeeping; authorizing fees.
- HB 2771: Relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to issue permits for the discharge into water of this state of produced water, hydro-static test water, and gas plant effluent resulting from certain oil and gas activities.
- HB 2880: Relating to a study of the effects of building requirements on the use of water conservation technology.
- HB 2999: Relating to air filtration efficiency standards at certain educational and child care facilities.
- HB 2942: Relating to the adoption and enforcement of reclamation standards for certain sand mining operations; authorizing a fee.
- HB 2948: Relating to the creation of an advisory panel to study and compile a report on best management practices and funding mechanisms for the prevention, mitigation, and abatement of windblown and waterborne litter in communities.
- HB 3023: Relating to a study by Texas A&M University on the expected effects of future climate change in this state and the preparedness of this state to address those effects.
- HB 3035: 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 3067: Relating to an oil and gas production tax credit for oil and gas producers that provide produced water for recycling.
Bills Assigned to House Committees
- Environmental Regulation
- HB 1267: Relating to civil and administrative penalties assessed or imposed for violations of laws protecting drinking water, public water supplies, and bodies of water.
- HB 1280: Relating to who may request a public hearing from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality related to the construction of a concrete plant.
- HB 1329: Relating to the provision of information regarding certain enforcement actions by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 1330: Relating to the factors to be considered in determining the amount of an administrative penalty assessed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 1331: Relating to the application fee for a permit for a municipal solid waste facility; imposing a fee.
- HB 1344: Relating to the Texas emissions reduction plan fund, including the establishment and use of the non-road diesel sub-account.
- HB 1345: Relating to sources of funding for the Texas emissions reduction plan.
- HB 1346: Relating to the eligibility requirements for the diesel emissions reduction incentive program.
- HB 1390: Relating to the review of municipal solid waste facility permit applications for conformity with regional solid waste management plans.
- HB 1391: Relating to inspections of solid waste facilities conducted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 1409: Relating to the qualification of land for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as timber land or restricted-use timber land.
- HB 1435: Relating to the inspection of a municipal solid waste management facility or site by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality before a permit application is issued, amended, extended, or renewed.
- HB 1436: Relating to the approval of permits for solid waste facilities.
- HB 1491: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Environmental Justice Advisory Council.
- HB 1507: Relating to programs that can be established and funded under the Texas emissions reduction plan.
- HB 1627: Relating to the removal of certain counties from the Texas emissions reduction plan.
- HB 1708: Relating to the expedited processing of certain applications for permits under the Texas Clean Air Act.
- HB 1746: Relating to sources of funding and administration of the Texas emissions reduction plan.
- HB 1747: Relating to the expedited processing of certain applications for permits under the Clean Air Act; use of revenue.
- HB 1764: Relating to the location of hearings relating to contested cases before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 1804: Relating to public comments on matters subject to a hearing under the jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 1953: Relating to relating to reducing the volume of wastes disposed of in landfills by promoting the beneficial conversion of plastics and other recoverable materials using pyrolysis and gasification processes.
- HB 1958: Relating to the territory, powers, and administration of the Gulf Coast Water Authority.
- HB 1963: Relating to contested case hearings conducted on behalf of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on matters involving municipal solid waste permits.
- HB 1970: 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 1980: Relating to the creation of the Climate Change Impact Assessment Council.
- Natural Resources
- HB 1321: Relating to the Nueces River Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission.
- HB 1502: Relating to the Lower Colorado River Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission.
- HB 1594: Relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board of groundwater availability in certain counties.
- HB 1617: Relating to the deadline by which the Texas Water Development Board is required to identify and designate brackish groundwater production zones for certain areas of the state.
- HB 1671: Relating to water quality protection areas.
- HB 2021: Relating to approval by voters prior to the issuance of revenue bonds by river authorities.
- HB 2023: Relating to the use of money in the state water pollution control revolving fund.
- Agriculture and Livestock
- HB 1514: Relating to the Texas Olive Oil Industry Advisory Board.
- HB 1563: Relating to the licensing and regulation of animal export-import processing facilities; providing penalties; requiring an occupational license; authorizing fees.
- HB 1591: Relating to the regulation of disease control by the Animal Health Commission.
- HB 1686: Relating to the preference given by state and local governmental entities to agricultural products produced or grown in this state.
- HB 1723: Relating to repeal of the permit requirement for intrastate shipment of bees.
- HB 1868: Relating to the creation of the Texas Rural Water Advisory Council.
- Business and Industry
- Culture, Recreation, and Tourism
- HB 1824: Relating to use of funds collected by the Parks and Wildlife Commission from the sale of certain materials.
- Ways and Means
- HB 1978: Relating to the repeal of the additional ad valorem taxes imposed as a result of certain changes in the use of agricultural or open-space land.
Senate
Recently filed bills
- SB 1122: Relating to the establishment of a sanitarian recruitment and retention program in border counties for public health purposes.
- SB 1205: Relating to an appropriation of money from the general revenue fund to the State Soil and Water Conservation Board for the purpose of eradicating Carrizo cane, contingent on the receipt of federal funds for the same purpose.
- SB 1242: Relating to the location of hearings relating to contested cases before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- SB 1243: Relating to the consideration of the cumulative effects of air contaminant emissions in the emissions permitting process.
- SB 1247: Relating to who may request a public hearing from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality related to the construction of a concrete plant.
- SB 1339: Relating to road specifications and safety standards for access to a solid waste facility.
- SB 1341: Relating to the regulation of certain low-volume poultry processing establishments.
- SB 1372: Relating to requirements for maintaining and decommissioning certain wind-powered generation facilities.
- SB 1380: Relating to the analysis of inspection and maintenance requirements for air quality permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain oil and gas facilities.
bills Assigned to Senate Committees
- . Natural Resources and Economic Development
- Water and Rural Affairs
- SB 655: Relating to a restriction on permits authorizing direct discharges of waste or pollutants into water in certain areas of the Edwards Aquifer.
- SB 669: Relating to the date for the confirmation election for the Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District.
- SB 800: Relating to extensions of an expired permit for the transfer of groundwater from a groundwater conservation district.
- SB 911: Relating to the supervision of water districts by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- SB 912: Relating to the suspension of operations of water districts that have failed to follow a court order or administrative directive by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- SB 942: Relating to the use of money in the state water pollution control revolving fund.
- SB 987: Relating to limitations on the location of solid waste facilities.
- SB 1010: Relating to rules adopted by groundwater conservation districts overlying a common aquifer.
- Business and Commerce
- SB 638: Relating to seller’s disclosures regarding the proximity of certain residential real property to certain landfills and related facilities.
- SB 648: Relating to clarifying the law regarding local government prohibitions or restrictions on the sale or use of a container or package.
- SB 777: Relating to local government prohibitions or restrictions on the sale or use of a container or package.
- SB 816: Relating to the regulation by certain municipalities of disposable plastic bag use.
- Agriculture
- SB 677: Relating to repeal of the permit requirement for intrastate shipment of bees.
- SB 682: Relating to cultivated oyster mariculture; authorizing fees; creating a criminal offense.
- SB 776: Relating to the establishment of an agriculture and rural ombudsman office.
- SB 788: Relating to the preference given by state and local governmental entities to agricultural products produced or grown in this state.
- Health and Human Services
- SB 789: Relating to limitations on food regulations at farms, farmers’ markets, and cottage food production operations.
- Transportation
- SB 892: Relating to the exhaust emission systems of diesel-powered motor vehicles.
- Property Tax
- SB 894: Relating to the additional tax imposed on land appraised for ad valorem tax purposes as agricultural, open-space, or timber land if the land is sold or diverted to a different use.
More information about the 86th Texas Legislative session can be found at capitol.texas.gov.