85th Texas Legislature Regular Session Update – May 2, 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.
Upcoming Dates of Note:
- May 9, 2017: Deadline for the house to distribute its last House Daily Calendar with house bills and house joint resolutions
- May 10, 2017: Deadline for the house to distribute its last House Local & Consent Calendar with consent house bills
- May 11, 2017: Last day for the house to consider house bills and house joint resolutions on 2nd reading on the Daily or Supplemental Calendar
- May 29, 2017: Last day of legislative session.
- June 18, 2017: Last day the governor can sign or veto bills passed during the regular legislative session.
Additional Resources:
- More than half of pre-filed bills have been assigned to a committee. Most of the bills assigned to a committee are waiting for a public hearing, or have already had a public hearing and are left pending. No bills have been passed by the legislature (other than resolutions).
- Although not many bills have been voted on yet by The Senate and The House of Representatives from the surrounding area of Houston, here are a few pertaining to the environment on this Google Spreadsheet.Â
- Neighborhood Witness is an organization that focuses primarily on air pollution in Texas. If you would like to learn more about this issue, their website provides information on polluted air in great detail.
- The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), as of the Natural Resources Advisory Committee, identifies bills filed in the Texas Legislature that may impact or relate to natural resources and their management. The attached report provides a status update on the bills filed during this session for which your organization may want to seek further information. H-GAC welcomes any feedback or requests you may have for tracking additional bills. This tracking is solely for the purpose of providing information to H-GAC’s Committee members. H-GAC does not seek to advocate for or against any bill through the provision of this information.
- Texas Campaign for the Environment reports that HB 3482 (Relating to clarifying the law regarding local government prohibitions or restrictions on the sale or use of a container or package) was voted the House Urban Affairs Committee on a 4-3 vote. It is now up for consideration by the House Calendars Committee, which includes Representative Sarah Davis from the Houston area.
Additional resources:
- 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 4/27/17: This bill is currently left pending in committee.
- 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 4/27/17: Both SB 113 and SB 176 are left pending, and SB 361 has made it out of committee.Â
- 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.
- 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. Update 4/27/2017: Bill has been left pending in committee.Â
- Earthworks Texas chapter is closely watching HB 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. Update 04/27/17: This bill has only been referred to the Energy Resources Committee.Â
- The current proposal for cuts to the EPA could have an impact on Texas’ environment. Air Alliance Houston wrote an article explaining this topic in more 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. Update 4/27/2017: Bill has been left pending in committee.Â
- Texas Campaign for the Environment has created an interactive map that includes leaking landfills here in Texas. Per their website, they are supporting SB 551 which would prevent bad permit applications from being re-filed after having been denied by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Update 4/18/2017: SB 551 is still in Stage 1 (Filed).Â
- 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.
- 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 4/18/17: This bill is pending in the committee.
- The Houston Chronicle wrote an informative article on public school drinking water, and how lead is becoming a prominent chemical in both fountains and faucets. SB 1587 & HB 3695 are currently proposed in legislation to promote the replacement of lead piping, testing of waters from fountains and faucets, and the installation of water filters.
- Texas Campaign for the Environment has a page where you can take action on current bills in the 85th Legislature. From oil and gas rules, to batteries, and even recycling, their website will guide you on how to participate in the Texas legislation.
- HB 78 relates to credits to certain accounts of the Parks and Wildlife Department resulting from the allocation of the proceeds from taxes imposed on the sale, storage, or use of sporting goods. Immediate action is being asked to be taken for this bill, and here are three different documents Action#1, Action#2, Action#3, explaining legislative alerts on how to call to action.
- The Texas Tribune covers the legislature with enthusiasm!
If you have a favorite source of info, please share!
Updates on Committees & Bills in the 85th Legislative Session
- Agriculture & Livestock – Met on April 26. Bills to note:
- Agriculture, Water, & Rural Affairs – Met on April 24. 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 voted on by Senate:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Business & Commerce – Met on April 27. Bills to note:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Bills voted on by Senate:
- SB 59 – energy and water management planning for state agencies and institutions of higher education
- Energy Resources - Met on April 26. Bills to note:
- Environmental Regulation – Met on April 25. Bills to note:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- HB 838, HB 1979, HB 2682 - emissions
- HB 1437 – litter reduction
- HB 1874 – recycling of certain household batteries
- HB 1927 - alert system for release of toxic chemicals by manufacturing facility. Fire at LyondellBasell Refinery is an example to help support this bill. Read Air Alliance’s article here.
- HB 2046 – funds to support recycling projects and infrastructure
- HB 2088 – permits on concrete batch plants
- HB 2092 – prohibition of land application of grit/grease trap waste (correlates with SB 746)
- HB 2125 – recycling of architectural paint
- HB 2662 – Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact waste disposal facility.
- Bills out of committee:
- Bills voted on by House:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Intergovernmental Relations – Met on April 26. Bills to note:
- Bills voted on by Senate:
- SB 744Â – tree planting credit
- Bills voted on by Senate:
- Land & Resource Management – Met on April 25. Bills to note:
- Natural Resources – Met on April 27. Bills to note:
- Natural Resources & Economic Development – Met on April 25. Bills to note:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Bills out of committee:
- SB 1046 – Texas emissions reduction plan funding (Update 04/27/17: this bill has been placed on intent calendar)
- Bills voted on by Senate:
- Public Health: Met on April 25. Bills to note:
- Bills voted on by House:
- HB 3451 – lethal pesticides
- Bills voted on by House:
- State Affairs – Met on April 27. Bills to note:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- HB 2204 – water projects, treatment works, flood control measures
- Bills pending/in committee:
- Urban Affairs – Met on April 25. Bills to note:
- Bills pending/in committee:
- HB 2052 – tree planting credit
- Bills pending/in committee: