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February 8, 2017

85th Texas Legislature Regular Session Update – February 7, 2017

The Texas Legislature has filed the following bills for consideration during Texas’ 85th legislative session. The session began on January 10, 2017. March 10, 2017, is the deadline for filing most bills. While the Legislature has begun referring bills to committees, the committees have not yet begun meeting.

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!)

Additional resources:

Common Topics this week

  • Name of the Texas Rail Road Commission
  • Texas Rail Road Commission’s restrictions and their enforcements
  • Waste tire usage
  • Texas’ emissions reduction plan

House Bills

  • HB 1437– Relating to the use of funding local initiative projects for litter reduction.
  • HB 1471– Relating to the eligibility of land for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as qualified open-space land on the basis of its use for wildlife management.
  • HB 1472– Relating to investment by a public junior college district of public funds received from the management and development of mineral rights.
  • HB 1493 – Relating to requirements for the construction of a natural gas pipeline in a municipality.
  • HB 1519 – Relating to requirements for the construction of a natural gas pipeline.
  • HB 1535 – Relating to the prohibition of certain pesticides on public road rights-of-way.
  • HB 1536 – Relating to a study and report by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on the use of green stormwater infrastructure in this state.
  • HB 1546 – Relating to the operations of the Department of Public Safety, Parks and Wildlife Department, and state military forces in the border region.
  • HB 1565 – Relating to a waiver of certain state park fees for military service members and veterans.
  • HB 1571 – Relating to the use of local government energy savings performance contracts for measures that avoid expected future operating or maintenance costs.
  • HB 1572 – Relating to a property owner’s right to remove a tree or vegetation that the owner believes poses a fire risk.
  • HB 1584 – Relating to the implementation of county solid waste management programs.
  • HB 1597 – Relating to the recovery of stranded oil, gas, or oil and gas from depleting Cenozoic Era reservoirs.
  • HB 1603 – Relating to certain powers and duties of the Palo Duro River Authority of Texas.
  • HB 1619 – Relating to the prosecution and punishment of certain outdoor burning violations.
  • HB 1625 – Relating to the procedures for the enforcement by the General Land Office of the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act of 1991.

Senate Bills

  • SB 722 – Relating to a fee for participation in the Managed Lands Deer Program of the Parks and Wildlife Department.
  • SB 726 – Relating to elections held by the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District.
  • SB 733 – Relating to the sanitation and safety requirements for certain artificial bodies of water maintained for public recreational purposes.
  • SB 736 – Relating to the authority of the General Land Office to sell retail electric power.
  • SB 743 – Relating to the abolition of the fee established by the commissioner of the General Land Office for processing applications for terminal facility discharge prevention and response certificates.
  • SB 744 -Relating to a tree planting credit to offset tree mitigation fees imposed by a municipality.
  • SB 746 – Relating to a prohibition of the land application of grit or grease trap waste.
  • SB 749 – Relating to certain charges by the Bastrop County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2; authorizing an increase in a fee.
  • SB 768 – Relating to the Texas emissions reduction plan, including the eligibility for grants for natural gas fueling stations under the Texas natural gas vehicle grant program.

Common Authors & Counties they Represent