| 1 | 1 | | By: Chisum, Farrar H.B. No. 4346 |
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| 2 | 2 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4346: |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Burnam C.S.H.B. No. 4346 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to "no regrets" greenhouse gas emissions reduction |
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| 9 | 9 | | strategies. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 2305, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | adding Section 2305.201 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 2305.201. STRATEGIES TO REDUCE EMISSIONS OF GREENHOUSE |
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| 14 | 14 | | GASES. (a) In this section, "greenhouse gas" includes carbon |
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| 15 | 15 | | dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, |
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| 16 | 16 | | perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) Not later than December 31, 2010, the Comptroller of |
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| 18 | 18 | | Public Accounts shall prepare and deliver to each member of the |
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| 19 | 19 | | legislature a report including a list of strategies for reducing |
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| 20 | 20 | | emissions of greenhouse gases in this state that: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) shall result in net savings for consumers or |
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| 22 | 22 | | businesses in this state; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) can be achieved without financial cost to |
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| 24 | 24 | | consumers or businesses in this state; or |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) help businesses in the state maintain global |
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| 26 | 26 | | competitiveness. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) In preparing the list of emission reduction strategies, |
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| 28 | 28 | | the Comptroller of Public Accounts shall consider the strategies |
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| 29 | 29 | | for reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases that have been |
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| 30 | 30 | | implemented in other states or nations. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (d) In determining under Subsection (b) whether an emission |
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| 32 | 32 | | reduction strategy may result in a financial cost to consumers or |
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| 33 | 33 | | businesses in this state, the Comptroller of Public Accounts shall |
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| 34 | 34 | | consider the total net costs that may occur over the life of the |
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| 35 | 35 | | strategy. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (e) A report prepared under subsection (b) shall include the |
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| 37 | 37 | | following information for each identified strategy: |
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| 38 | 38 | | (1) initial, short-term capital costs that may result |
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| 39 | 39 | | from the implementation of the strategy delineated by the costs to |
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| 40 | 40 | | business, and the costs to consumers; and |
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| 41 | 41 | | (2) lifetime costs and savings that may result from |
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| 42 | 42 | | the implementation of the strategy delineated by the costs and |
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| 43 | 43 | | savings to business and the costs and savings to consumers. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (f) The Comptroller of Public Accounts shall appoint one or |
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| 45 | 45 | | more advisory committees to assist the in identifying and |
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| 46 | 46 | | evaluating greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies. At least |
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| 47 | 47 | | one representative from the following agencies shall serve on the |
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| 48 | 48 | | advisory committee or committees: |
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| 49 | 49 | | (1) the Texas Railroad Commission; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) the General Land Office; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (3) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; |
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| 52 | 52 | | (4) the Texas Department of Agriculture; and |
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| 53 | 53 | | (5) a Texas Institution of Higher Education. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (g) The Comptroller of Public Accounts may enter into an |
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| 55 | 55 | | interagency agreement with the Texas Commission on Environmental |
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| 56 | 56 | | Quality or other state agency for technical advice or assistance as |
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| 57 | 57 | | necessary to complete the requirements of this subsection. |
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| 58 | 58 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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