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

The 85th Texas Legislature Regular Session began on January 10, 2017. March 10, 2017, is the deadline for filing most bills, so you can expect a sharp uptick in the number of bills filed in the next few days. the legislature has also begun 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.

Bills that have been Co-Authorized

Bills Assigned to a Committee

Bills Scheduled for a Public Hearing

Additional resources:

The Texas Legislature has filed the following bills for consideration during Texas’ 85th legislative session….

Additional committees for the 85th Legislature

House:

Senate:

House Bills

  • HB 2600 - Relating to the establishment of the Bee Pollinator Goals Task Force to develop and report on statewide pollinator goals.
  • HB 2628 - Relating to the cessation of certain deposits to the credit of the Texas emissions reduction plan fund.
  • HB 2638 - Relating to the protection and use of intellectual property by the Railroad Commission of Texas.
  • HB 2662 - Relating to the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact waste disposal facility.
  • HB 2682 - Relating to the administration of and funding for the Texas emissions reduction plan.
  • HB 2688 - Relating to the authority of the Railroad Commission of Texas to prevent waste of oil and gas.
  • HB 2713 - Relating to an audit by the comptroller of unpaid oil and gas royalties held in trust by the Railroad Commission of Texas.
  • HB 2715 - Relating to the composition and use of money in the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund.
  • HB 2716 - Relating to a study by the Department of Agriculture of the transfer of water from the Mississippi River.
  • HB 2740 - Relating to the election of the board of directors of the Panola County Groundwater Conservation District.
  • HB 2753 - 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.
  • HB 2763 - Relating to solid waste services for rental property and solid waste management programs in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of municipalities in certain counties; authorizing penalties.
  • HB 2771 - Relating to the wastewater treatment permit application; eliminating a fee.
  • HB 2798 - Relating to the regulation and reuse of wastewater.
  • HB 2799 - Relating to a requirement to make certain environmental and water use permit applications available online.
  • HB 2802 - Relating to the review of river authorities by the Sunset Advisory Commission.
  • HB 2803 - Relating to the nonsubstantive revision of certain local laws concerning water and wastewater special districts, including conforming amendments.
  • HB 2824 - Relating to requiring the Public Utility Commission of Texas to monitor and report on the deployment of advanced metering systems in this state.
  • HB 2867 - Relating to the contracts of the Edwards Aquifer recharge, storage, and recovery projects.
  • HB 2885 - Relating to the authorization by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of the discharge, diversion, and transfer or other reuse of return flows derived from treated brackish groundwater.
  • HB 2894 -Relating to desalinated seawater and a requirement that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality provide expedited consideration of certain applications to amend water rights.
  • HB 2932 - Relating to the imposition of administrative, civil, and criminal penalties for violating certain statutes under the jurisdiction of, rules or orders adopted by, or licenses, permits, or certificates issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas; increasing criminal penalties.
  • HB 2943 - Relating to the use of money in the state water pollution control revolving fund.
  • HB 2958 - Relating to a temporary moratorium on permits for municipal solid waste facilities.
  • HB 2959 - Relating to the provision of wholesale water and sewer service to certain municipalities.
  • HB 2970 - Relating to a Texas water resources program component of the science curriculum used in public schools in certain grade levels.
  • HB 3004 - Relating to the dismissal of protests against certain decisions and actions of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regarding wastewater discharge permits.
  • HB 3027 - Relating to the applicability of open meetings and public information laws to regional water planning groups and their committees.
  • HB 3028 - Relating to groundwater ownership and rights.
  • HB 3031 - Relating to the procedure for obtaining a right to use state water if the applicant proposes an alternative source of water that is not state water.
  • HB 3036 - Relating to a restriction on permits authorizing direct discharges of waste or pollutants into water in certain areas of the Edwards Aquifer.
  • HB 3037 - Relating to the definition of groundwater management areas to coincide with major and minor aquifers and the joint planning process in those areas.
  • HB 3038 - Relating to the explanatory reports issued by the district representatives in groundwater management areas.
  • HB 3043 - Relating to the joint planning process for groundwater management.
  • HB 3058 - Relating to the new technology implementation grant program administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
  • HB 3063 - Relating to agricultural liens.
  • HB 3064 - Relating to the dedication and maximization of returns on payments received by this state for economic losses sustained from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
  • HB 3071 - Relating to the equalization of the rates of production fees charged on certain wells by the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District; authorizing an increase in the rate of the fee.
  • HB 3084 - Relating to the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information regarding the availability and quality of the groundwater resources in this state by the Geo-Technology Research Institute.
  • HB 3085 - Relating to a study by the Geo-Technology Research Institute on the monitoring, prevention, and removal of floating trash.
  • HB 3090 - Relating to the enforcement of laws prohibiting outdoor burning of waste and combustible material.
  • HB 3111 - Relating to medical gas and vacuum piping systems testing in certain health facilities and voluntary tester registry.
  • HB 3116 - Relating to permit application requirements for solid waste facilities.
  • HB 3117 - Relating to a prohibition on the issuance of a permit under the Clean Air Act for a facility located within a five-mile radius of another permitted facility.
  • HB 3153 - Relating to certain notice requirements regarding fluoridation of a water supply system.
  • HB 3177 - Relating to the delegation of uncontested matters to the executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
  • HB 3182 - Relating to requiring the Parks and Wildlife Department to issue permits for the management of the wild mule deer population; requiring an occupational permit.
  • HB 3200 - 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.
  • HB 3201 - Relating to the designation of a well as a two-year inactive well or three-year inactive well for purposes of the oil and gas severance tax exemption.
  • HB 3227 - Relating to the administration and enforcement of produce safety standards by the Department of Agriculture; authorizing an administrative penalty.
  • HB 3232 - Relating to the penalty imposed on certain delinquent oil and gas severance taxes.
  • HB 3240 - Relating to liability of certain gas utilities providing services or materials in the inspection, construction, or repair of a gas pipeline.

Senate Bills

  • SB 307 - Relating to the functions and territory of the Upper Colorado River Authority, following the recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission.
  • SB 308 - Relating to the Sulphur River Basin Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Committee.
  • SB 309 - Relating to the Palo Duro River Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission.
  • SB 1168 - Relating to the disqualification of directors of the Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District.
  • SB 1175 - Relating to the dissolution of water districts.
  • SB 1197 - Relating to fees charged by the Rolling Plains Groundwater Conservation District; authorizing a fee.
  • SB 1209 - 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.
  • SB 1229 - Relating to solid waste services for rental property and solid waste management programs in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of municipalities in certain counties; authorizing penalties.
  • SB 1256 - Relating to export fees charged by the Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District; changing a fee.
  • SB 1268 - Relating to the taxing power of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District.
  • SB 1330 - Relating to funding for the operations of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission.
  • SB 1382 - Relating to the use of local government energy savings performance contracts for measures that avoid expected future operating or maintenance costs.
  • SB 1392 - Relating to groundwater conservation districts.
  • SB 1416 - Relating to the requirements for construction contracts for certain water supply projects, treatment works, and flood control measures.
  • SB 1423 - Relating to the supervision of water districts by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.