Highlights
Environmental Bills of Interest
Passed During 81st Legislative Session
Air Issues
Bill No.
Author
Description
HB 857
Laubenberg
Relating to the penalty for certain outdoor burning
violations.
SB 2019
Watson
Relating to the use of certain refrigerants in motor vehicle
air conditioning units.
SB 1693
Ogden
Relating to the regulation of poultry facilities and poultry
litter.
SB 1472
Gallegos
Relating to public meetings for permit applications under
the Texas Clean Air Act.
SB 184
Watson
Relating to "no regrets" greenhouse gas emission
reduction strategies.
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Water Issues
Bill No.
Author
Description
HB 4231
Ritter et al.
Relating to the conveyancing or transfer in this state of
water imported into this state from a source located
outside this state.
HB 4043
Callegari
Relating to notifications to certain purchasers of real
property that may be located in an area subject to a
certificate of convenience and necessity for water or
sewer service.
HB 3785
Callegari
Relating to the powers and duties of a navigation district
or port authority.
HB 2667
Ritter/Creighton
Relating to performance standards for plumbing fixtures
sold in this state.
HB 2374
Guillen et al.
Relating to financial assistance by the Texas Water
Development Board for the connections of residences in
economically distressed areas to public water supply and
sanitary sewer systems.
HB 2348
Dutton/Flynn
Relating to a contract between a water district and a
municipality for the provision of fire-fighting services in
certain counties.
HB 2063
Callegari/Creighton
Relating to the enforcement of rules by a groundwater
conservation district.
HB 1972
Hamilton
Relating to contracts and purchases by certain navigation
districts.
HB 1922
Martinez Fischer
Relating to the authorization of certain reuse water
system contributions and discharges.
HB 1433
Lucio III
Relating to the amount of the annual water quality fee
imposed on holders of wastewater discharge permits and
on users of water. Includes increase in statutory cap.
HB 1295
Aycock/Maldonado
Relating to notification of an application related to a
certificate of public convenience and necessity for water
or sewer service.
HB 1174
Hartnett
Relating to payment by a municipality or river authority for
certain damages caused by the municipality's or river
authority’s operation of a sanitary sewer system.
HB 865
Swinford
Relating to the establishment of the Texas Invasive
Species Coordinating Committee.
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Water Issues (continued)
Bill No.
Author
Description
SB 2445
Uresti
Relating to the disposal of sewage by boats.
SB 2314
Averitt
Relating to the administration of the Clean Water State
Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund.
SB 2312
Averitt
Relating to eligibility for funds from the water
infrastructure fund from the Texas Water Development
Board.
SB 2126
Estes
Relating to the authority of owners and managers of
apartment houses to assess a service charge for the
submetering of water and wastewater services.
SB 1711
Hegar
Relating to the use of reservoirs for sediment control or to
satisfy environmental and safety requirements at surface
mining operations.
SB 1371
Lucio
Relating to the colonia self-help program.
SB 1299
Watson
Relating to the regulation of stormwater management by
certain counties.
SB 1253
Seliger
Relating to the repeal of the power of certain districts and
water supply corporations to allow the use of right-of-way
easements for certain energy-related purposes.
SB 876
Averitt
Relating to the performance of annual soil tests for certain
concentrated animal feeding operations by the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality.
SB 361
Patrick
Relating to the requirement that certain water service
providers ensure emergency operations during an
extended power outage.
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Waste Issues
Bill No.
Author
Description
HB 3765
Paxton
Relating to the use of hazardous and solid waste
remediation fee funds for lead-acid battery recycling
activities.
SB 1757
Watson
Relating to a study by the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality of the methods for disposing of
unused pharmaceuticals so that they do not enter a
wastewater system.
SB 480
Carona
Relating to the authority of the Texas Transportation
Commission to enter into a covenant for environmental
remediation of real property owned by the Texas
Department of Transportation.
HB 472
Hilderbran
Relating to requirements regarding reporting of
contamination by a common carrier or pipeline owner or
operator.
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Other Issues
Bill No.
Author
Description
HB 4409
Taylor/Eiland/
Guillen
Relating to emergency preparation and management.
HB 4031
McCall
Relating to the agricultural biomass and landfill diversion
incentive program.
HB 3544
Lucio III
Relating to electronic notices by the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality, electronically stored information
provided by a governmental body, and confidentiality of email addresses provided to a governmental body, and
determinations regarding whether property is pollution
control property for ad valorem tax purposes.
HB 3391
Harper-Brown et
al.
Relating to the continuation and functions of the Parks and
Wildlife Department; changing the elements of an offense.
HB 3206
Edwards
Relating to the implementation of the exemption from ad
valorem taxation for pollution control property.
HB 2582
Gonzalez
Toureilles et al.
Relating to the production and taxation of renewable diesel
fuel.
HB 2318
Swinford/Guillen
Relating to the fuel ethanol and biodiesel incentive
program of the Department of Agriculture.
HB 2259
Crownover et al.
Relating to the plugging of certain inactive oil or gas wells
and to standards for electrical power lines serving certain
oil and gas facilities
HB 2074
Bonnen
Relating to the designation by the commissioner of the
General Land Office of critical coastal erosion areas for
purposes of the coastal erosion response plan.
HB 2073
Bonnen
Relating to plans by local governments in coastal areas for
reducing public expenditures for erosion and storm
damage losses to public and private property.
HB 1831
Corte et al.
Relating to disaster preparedness and emergency
management and to certain vehicles used in emergencies;
providing a penalty.
HB 1796
Chisum et al.
Relating to the development of carbon dioxide capture and
sequestration in this state.
[Note: Includes provisions from SB 16, which did not
pass]
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Other Issues (continued)
Bill No.
Author
Description
HB 821
Leibowitz et al.
Relating to the sale, recovery, and recycling of certain
television equipment; providing administrative penalties.
HB 469
King, Phil
Relating to the establishment of incentives by this state for
the implementation of certain projects to capture and
sequester carbon dioxide that would otherwise be emitted
into the atmosphere.
SB 1387
Seliger
Relating to the implementation of projects involving the
capture, injections, sequestration, or geologic storage of
carbon dioxide.
SB 1080
Jackson, Mike
Relating to compliance with federal occupational safety
and health standards in environmental enforcement.
SB 801
Hegar
Relating to the appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes of
land used for wildlife management.
[Note: Vetoed
by Governor]
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