86th Texas Legislature Updates: March 30, 2019

March 28, 2019

The 86th Legislature House and Senate have been assigning bills to committees, holding public committee hearings, distributing reports on bills, and voting on legislation.

We’d love to know what bills you are watching. Send an email to madeline.bell@cechouston.org.

More information about the 86th Texas Legislative session can be found at capitol.texas.gov.

Now that the regular deadline for filing bills in the Texas Legislature has passed, the focus is on committee work. If a committee approves a bill, it is then set back to the legislative chamber for consideration. If approved, it is sent to the opposite chamber. If a bill makes it to a vote and is passed by both the House and Senate, it is sent to the Governor who will either sign it into law, allow it to become law without a signature, or veto it.

Senate

updates on senate committees and bills

Agriculture- met on March 25
- Bills out of Committee
  - SB 677: Relating to the regulation of beekeeping; imposing fees and authorizing other fees; expanding the applicability of an occupational permit.
    - Bill was reported favorably as substituted.
  - SB 743: Relating to the Texas Olive Oil Industry Advisory Board.
    - Bill was reported favorably without amendments. Bill was voted on and passed by Senate.
Higher Education- will meet March 27, 2019
- Bills out of Committee
  - SB 345: Relating to the use of land in the William Goodrich Jones State Forest.
    - Reported favorably as substituted.
Natural Resources & Economic Development- will meet on March 27,2019
- Scheduled for Public Hearing
  - SB 649: Relating to promotion of the use of recyclable materials as feedstock for manufacturing.
  - SB 1021: Relating to the operations of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact waste disposal facility.
  - SB 1656: Relating to the conversion of plastics and other recoverable materials through pyrolysis or gasification.
    - Scheduled for March 27,2019
- Bills out of Committee
  - SB 690: Relating to the expedited processing of certain applications for permits under the Texas Clean Air Act.
    - Bill was reported favorably without amendment. Bill was voted on and passed by Senate.
  - SB 698: Relating to the expedited processing of certain applications for permits under the Texas Clean Air Act.
    - Bill was reported favorably without amendment. Bill was voted on and passed by the Senate.
Transportation- will meet March 27, 2019
- Scheduled for a Public Hearing
  - SB 892: Relating to the exhaust emission systems of diesel-powered motor vehicles.
    - Scheduled for March 27, 2019.
Water and Rural Affairs- met March 25
- Bills out of Committee
  - SB 942: Relating to the use of money in the state water pollution control revolving fund.
    - Bill was reported favorably as substituted.
  - SB 1041: 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.
    - Bill was reported favorably without amendments. Bill was not again placed on intent calendar.

bills Assigned to Senate Committees

Business and Commerce
- SB 2035: Relating to the advertising and labeling of certain meat food products.
- SB 2063: Relating to the use of green storm-water infrastructure in new state buildings.
- SB 2069: Relating to the development of a climate adaptation plan by certain entities.
- SB 2382: Relating to sale of returnable containers; creating a criminal offense.
Education
- SB 2061: Relating to a prohibition on the application of certain pesticides at public school buildings and other facilities.
Water and Rural Affairs
- SB 2062: Relating to the publication of pathogen-related data from river basins by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- SB 2067: Relating to the matters to be considered in developing the state water plan.
- SB 2394: Relating to reporting requirements for certain accidental discharges or spills.
Higher Education
- SB 2064: Relating to methane gas reduction by The University of Texas System.
Natural Resources and Economic Development
- SB 2065: Relating to affirmative defenses for a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality enforcement action for unauthorized emission or opacity events.
- SB 2154: Relating to the administration of certain programs under the Texas emissions reduction plan.
- SB 2175: Relating to affirmative defenses for a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality enforcement action for unauthorized emission or opacity events.
- SB 2233: Relating to monitoring emissions of air contaminants from certain mining-related facilities; imposing of a fee.
- SB 2278: Relating to the regulation of certain aggregate production operations by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; authorizing an increase in the amount of a fee.
- SB 2354: Relating to judicial review of acts by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- SB 2387: Relating to the regulatory analysis of rules proposed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Agriculture
- SB 2170: Relating to pollinator health.

House of Representatives

Updates on House committees and Bills

Environmental Regulation
- HB 3930: Relating to a prohibition of the land application of grease or grit trap waste.
- HB 3944: Relating to inspections of solid waste facilities conducted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 4049: Relating to regulation and permitting of certain recycling facilities.
- HB 4063: Relating to the location and operation of certain concrete crushing facilities.
- HB 4078: Relating to applications for permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain new or expanded facilities in certain low-income and minority communities.
- HB 4087: Relating to an affirmative defense to a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality enforcement action for unauthorized emission events.
- HB 4089: Relating to the regulation of radioactive waste.
- HB 4116: Relating to a voluntary financial assurance program for permit holders under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
- HB 4136: Relating to a limitation on the expansion of certain landfills near a rail corridor.
- HB 4247: Relating to the operation of rock and concrete crushing facilities at certain locations.
- HB 4409: Relating to monitoring emissions of air contaminants from certain mining-related facilities; imposing of a fee.
- HB 4493: Relating to supplemental environmental projects authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- HB 4584: Relating to sale of returnable containers; creating a criminal offense.
- HB 4599: Relating to the establishment and implementation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of a program to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in this state; authorizing a fee.
Natural Resources
- HB 4002: Relating to a contested case hearing to identify a sensitive feature related to an Edwards Aquifer protection plan.
- HB 4110: Relating to a study evaluating and making recommendations for the regulation of on-site sewage disposal systems in the recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer.
Ways and Means
- HB 4012: Relating to the procedure for qualifying for the exemption from ad valorem taxation of pollution control property.
Energy Resources
- HB 4060: Relating to a program administered by the Railroad Commission of Texas to provide grants to promote pipeline emergency preparedness; authorizing a fee.
- HB 4380: Relating to the creation of the Environmental Task Force Advisory Committee.
Agriculture and Livestock
- HB 4212: Relating to the establishment of a professional bee removal training and licensure program.
Culture, Recreation, and Tourism
- HB 4595: Relating to a study and report on the optimum water level of Falcon Lake.

Bills Assigned to House Committees

Agriculture and Livestock- met March 25, 2019
- Bills out of Committee
  - HB 70: Relating to a strategic plan goal by the Department of Agriculture to prevent crop diseases in this state.
    - Reported favorably as substituted.
  - HB 191: Relating to the disposal of pesticides.
    - Reported favorably as substituted.
  - HB 1514: Relating to the Texas Olive Oil Industry Advisory Board.
    - Reported favorably without amendment.
Culture, Recreation, and Tourism- met March 26, 2019
- Bills out of Committee
  - HB 488: Relating to the protection of public freshwater areas.
    - Reported favorably without amendment.
Environmental Regulation- met March 26, 2019
- Bills out of Committee
  - HB 286: Relating to promotion of the use of recyclable materials as feedstock for manufacturing.
    - Reported favorably as substituted.
Natural Resources- met March 26, 2019
- Bills out of Committee
  - HB 1066: Relating to extensions of an expired permit for the transfer of groundwater from a groundwater conservation district.
    - Reported favorably as substituted.
  - 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.
    - Reported favorably without amendment.
Ways and Means- will meet March 27, 2019
- Scheduled for Public Hearing
  - HB 3348: Relating to the eligibility of land on which the Texas Animal Health Commission has established a temporary quarantine for ticks for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as agricultural or open-space land.
    - Scheduled for March 27, 2019.
- Bills out of Committee
  - HB 1409: Relating to the qualification of land for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as timber land or
  - restricted-use timber land.
    - Reported favorably as substituted.

More information about the 86th Texas Legislative session can be found at capitol.texas.gov.