Week of May 21-28: The final week of the 80th Legislative Session.

Summary of Last Week’s Events

Monday, May 14

The House passed the following:

HB 1852 (Corte, R-San Antonio), relating to the authority of a county to regulate the installation and use of lighting in certain areas. The House concurred on the Senate amendments, one of which was an amendment that TCC negotiated with the bill sponsor that exempts manufacturing facilities permitted by the TCEQ.

Senate Finance Committee passed out HB 621 (Chavez, D-El Paso), relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of tangible personal property held temporarily at a location in this state for assembling, storing, manufacturing, processing or fabricating purposes. TCC is monitoring this bill.
Senate Transportation & Homeland Security Committee heard testimony on HB 13 (Swinford, R-Amarillo), relating to homeland security issues, including border security issues and homeland security staffing requirements. The bill was left pending. TCC is monitoring this bill.
House Natural Resources Committee passed out SB 1341 (Hegar, R-Katy), relating to the management of groundwater in the area regulated by the Edwards Aquifer Authority and to the operations and oversight of the Edwards Aquifer Authority. TCC supports the Senate version of this bill.

Tuesday, May 15

House Environmental Regulations Committee passed out SB 1317 (Jackson, R-Pasadena), relating to prohibiting a municipality from enacting regulations on air pollution that might apply outside its corporate limits. TCC supports this bill. The committee heard testimony on the following bills. All bills were left pending.

SB 1177 (Brimer, R-Fort Worth), relating to a pilot test of an advanced control technology for the reduction of nitrogen oxides emissions. TCC is monitoring this bill.
SB 1687 (Watson, D-Austin), relating to emission reduction strategies for greenhouse gases. TCC is monitoring this bill.
SB 1924 (Gallegos, D-Galena Park), relating to the establishment of an air pollution watch list. TCC registered its opposition to this bill.

Senate Natural Resources Committee heard testimony on, and passed out, HB 3011 (W. Smith, R-Baytown), relating to the creation of ship channel security districts by certain populous counties. TCC has been working on amendments to the bill with the bill sponsor on behalf of EHCMA. TCC is monitoring this bill.

Wednesday, May 16

Senate Transportation & Homeland Security Committee heard testimony on, and passed out, HB 160 (Menendez, D-San Antonio), relating to a study on the relocation of freight trains away from residential areas of the state. TCC registered its opposition to this bill.

Thursday, May 17

The House passed the following:

SB 12 (Averitt, R-Waco), relating to programs for the enhancement of air quality, including energy efficiency initiatives. TCC supports the Senate version of this bill.
SB 749 (Janek, R-Houston), relating to multidistrict litigation proceedings in cases involving claims for asbestos-related or silica-related injuries. TCC is monitoring this bill.

The Senate passed the following:

HB 1602 (Van Arsdale, R-Houston), relating to venue in civil actions under the Jones Act. TCC supports this bill.

Senate Business and Commerce Committee heard testimony on, and passed out, HB 1386 (P. King, R-Weatherford), relating to regulation of the decommissioning costs of certain nuclear-powered commercial electric generation units. TCC is monitoring this bill.
Senate Education Committee heard testimony on, and passed out, HB 3485 (S. King, R-Abilene), relating to career and technology education. TCC registered its support for this bill.
Senate Natural Resources Committee heard testimony on the following bills. All bills were left pending:

HB 2714 (Bonnen, R-Angleton), relating to a program for the recycling of computer equipment of consumers in this state. TCC registered its support for this bill.
HB 1526 (W. Smith), relating to incentives for and the use of alternative leak detection technologies for air contaminants. Former TCEQ Commissioner Ralph Marquez testified in favor of this bill. TCC registered its support for the bill.
HB 3960 (W. Smith), relating to the discontinuance of the TCEQ’s compliance history program. Senator Jackson laid out a committee substitute to the bill that replaced the language in HB 3960 with the language in HB 2318 (W. Smith) that improves the current compliance history program. TCC testified in support of this bill.

Friday, May 18

House Deadline: This was the last day for the House to consider local House bills on Second and Third Reading.
The Senate passed the following:

HB 621 (Chavez), relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of tangible personal property held temporarily at a location in this state for assembling, storing, manufacturing, processing or fabricating purposes. TCC is monitoring this bill.
HB 3928 (Keffer, R-Eastland), relating to technical changes to the revised franchise tax. This version includes an amendment that removes the gross receipts poison pill from the Senate Committee substitute. TCC supports this bill.

Senate Natural Resources Committee passed out the following:

HB 2714 (Bonnen), relating to a program for the recycling of computer equipment of consumers in this state. TCC supports this bill.
HB 1526 (W. Smith), relating to incentives for and the use of alternative leak detection technologies for air contaminants. This is a TCC high priority bill.
HB 3780 (Bonnen), relating to initiation of enforcement by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for violations based on information received from a private individual. TCC testified in support of this bill. This is a TCC high priority bill.
HB 3960 (W. Smith), relating to the discontinuance of the TCEQ’s compliance history program. TCC supports this bill.

Senate Finance Committee passed out the following:

HB 1207 (Keffer), relating to corrections to the revised franchise tax transition provisions of House Bill No. 3, 79th Legislature, 3rd Called Session, 2006. TCC is monitoring this bill.
HB 15 (Chisum, R-Pampa), relating to making supplemental appropriations and reductions in appropriations. TCC is monitoring this bill.

Upcoming Activities

Monday, May 21

House Deadline: by 9:00 a.m., the last House Local and Consent Calendar with Senate bills must be printed and distributed.
House Calendar (Second Reading):

SB 11 (Carona), relating to homeland security. TCC is monitoring this bill.
SB 1204 (Duncan), relating to the reorganization and administration of, and procedures relating to, courts in this state, including procedures for appeals. TCC supports this bill.
SB 3 (Averitt), relating to the development, management, and preservation of the water resources of the state. TCC supports this bill.
SB 1341 (Hegar), relating to the management of groundwater in the area regulated by the Edwards Aquifer Authority and to the operations and oversight of the Edwards Aquifer Authority. TCC supports the Senate version of this bill.

Senate Intent Calendar:

HB 3011 (W. Smith), relating to the creation of ship channel security districts by certain populous counties. TCC is monitoring this bill.
HB 3732 (Hardcastle), relating to implementing ultraclean energy projects in this state. TCC is monitoring this bill.

Tuesday, May 22

House Deadline: last day for the House to consider Senate bills and joint resolutions on Second Reading.
House Calendar (Second Reading):

SB 529 (Watson), relating to the clean school bus program. TCC is monitoring this bill.
SB 534 (Hegar), relating to certain rights and liabilities of an employer regarding an employee’s access to a concealed handgun. TCC worked with the bill sponsor to carve out an exemption for facilities that file a risk management plan under the federal Clean Air Act. TCC is monitoring this bill.
SB 1687 (Watson), relating to emission reduction strategies for greenhouse gases. TCC is monitoring this bill.

Wednesday, May 23

House Deadline: last day for the House to consider local and consent Senate bills on Second and Third Reading and all Senate bills and resolutions on Third Reading.
Senate Deadline: last day for the Senate to consider all bills and joint resolutions on Second or Third Reading.

Thursday, May 24

House Deadline: Senate amendments must be printed and distributed in the House.

Friday, May 25

House Deadline: last day for the House to consider Senate amendments.
Senate Deadline: Senate copies of conference committee reports on tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills must be printed and distributed.

Saturday, May 26

House Deadline: House copies of all conference committee reports must be printed and distributed.
Senate Deadline: all other conference committee reports must be printed and distributed.

Sunday, May 27

House Deadline: last day for the House to adopt conference committee reports.
Senate Deadline: last day for the Senate to concur on House amendments or adopt conference committee reports.

Monday, May 28

Last day of the 80th Legislative Session: corrections only in both the House and Senate.

If you have any questions, or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks, Christina

Christina T. Wisdom
General Counsel & Director of Govt. Affairs
Texas Chemical Council
1402 Nueces Street
Austin, Texas 78701-1586
phone: (512) 646-6403
fax: (512) 646-6420
wisdom@txchemcouncil.org