Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Texas House Bill HB2133 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Larson, Villalba (Senate Sponsor - Uresti) H.B. No. 2133
2	2	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2013;
3	3	May 10, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural
4	4	Resources; May 22, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable
5	5	Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0;
6	6	May 22, 2013, sent to printer.)
7	7	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2133 By: Uresti
8	8
9	9
10	10	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	11	AN ACT
12	12	relating to the public policy for the use of innovative and
13	13	alternative water treatment technologies for water development
14	14	purposes and to the establishment of the Texas Center for
15	15	Innovative Desalination Technology.
16	16	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
17	17	SECTION 1. Section 1.003, Water Code, is amended to read as
18	18	follows:
19	19	Sec. 1.003. PUBLIC POLICY. It is the public policy of the
20	20	state to provide for the conservation and development of the
21	21	state's natural resources, including:
22	22	(1) the control, storage, preservation, and
23	23	distribution of the state's storm and floodwaters and the waters of
24	24	its rivers and streams for irrigation, power, and other useful
25	25	purposes;
26	26	(2) the reclamation and irrigation of the state's
27	27	arid, semiarid, and other land needing irrigation;
28	28	(3) the reclamation and drainage of the state's
29	29	overflowed land and other land needing drainage;
30	30	(4) the conservation and development of its forest,
31	31	water, and hydroelectric power;
32	32	(5) the navigation of the state's inland and coastal
33	33	waters;
34	34	(6) the maintenance of a proper ecological environment
35	35	of the bays and estuaries of Texas and the health of related living
36	36	marine resources;
37	37	(7) the voluntary stewardship of public and private
38	38	lands to benefit waters of the state; [and]
39	39	(8) the promotion of rainwater harvesting for potable
40	40	and nonpotable purposes at public and private facilities in this
41	41	state, including residential, commercial, and industrial
42	42	buildings;
43	43	(9) the facilitation of the efficient and effective
44	44	use of innovative and alternative water treatment technologies
45	45	whenever possible to meet the natural resource needs of this state;
46	46	and
47	47	(10) the promotion of direct reuse of reclaimed water
48	48	for nonpotable purposes whenever possible to enhance and preserve
49	49	the state's freshwater supply.
50	50	SECTION 2. Chapter 111, Education Code, is amended by
51	51	adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
52	52	SUBCHAPTER J. TEXAS CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE
53	53	DESALINATION TECHNOLOGY
54	54	Sec. 111.131. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
55	55	(1) "Boards" means the board of regents of the
56	56	University of Houston System and the board of regents of The
57	57	University of Texas System.
58	58	(2) "Center" means the Texas Center for Innovative
59	59	Desalination Technology established under this subchapter.
60	60	Sec. 111.132. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The Texas Center for
61	61	Innovative Desalination Technology is established as a partnership
62	62	between the University of Houston, The University of Texas at
63	63	Brownsville, and The University of Texas at El Paso.
64	64	(b) The organization, control, and management of the center
65	65	are vested in the boards, and the respective institutions shall
66	66	execute a memorandum of understanding for that purpose.
67	67	(c) The center shall be hosted by the University of
68	68	Houston's Cullen College of Engineering, The University of Texas at
69	69	Brownsville's College of Science, Mathematics, and Technology, and
70	70	The University of Texas at El Paso's Center for Inland Desalination
71	71	Systems. Participation in the center's activities shall be open to
72	72	any faculty or staff member of each host university who is an active
73	73	researcher in the field of water desalination, engineering,
74	74	hydrology, biology, water supply development, or energy
75	75	efficiency, or in another relevant field as determined by the
76	76	boards.
77	77	Sec. 111.133. PURPOSE. The center is created to:
78	78	(1) promote interdisciplinary research, education,
79	79	and training for the development of state-of-the-art products,
80	80	materials, systems, and technologies designed for the desalination
81	81	of seawater from the Gulf of Mexico and brackish water within
82	82	surface and groundwater resources throughout the state; and
83	83	(2) develop cost-effective, energy-efficient, and
84	84	environmentally sound water desalination, brine disposal, and
85	85	water conveyance technologies that can enhance the potential for
86	86	desalinated water to contribute toward the state's long-term water
87	87	portfolio.
88	88	Sec. 111.134. POWERS AND DUTIES. The center shall:
89	89	(1) collaborate with appropriate international,
90	90	federal, state, and local agencies and private business or
91	91	nonprofit entities as necessary to develop innovative desalination
92	92	technologies;
93	93	(2) research and develop innovative seawater and
94	94	brackish water desalination technologies, including pretreatment
95	95	technologies and improvements, that are energy efficient and cost
96	96	effective, minimize environmental impacts, and offer long-term
97	97	water supply solutions for the state;
98	98	(3) research and develop brine disposal and reuse
99	99	methods and technologies;
100	100	(4) research and develop water conveyance systems and
101	101	technologies that may be used to transport desalinated water to
102	102	target use populations;
103	103	(5) develop test facilities for evaluating the
104	104	performance of new products, materials, or techniques;
105	105	(6) develop specifications and standards for products
106	106	used for desalinating water, conveying water, and disposing of
107	107	brine;
108	108	(7) provide public information, education, and
109	109	outreach regarding desalination technologies and appropriate uses
110	110	and conservation methods for desalinated water; and
111	111	(8) provide data, recommendations, and any other
112	112	information necessary relating to desalination for local,
113	113	regional, or statewide water planning programs and processes.
114	114	Sec. 111.135. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ENTITIES. The
115	115	University of Houston, The University of Texas at Brownsville, and
116	116	The University of Texas at El Paso shall encourage public and
117	117	private entities to participate in or support the operation of the
118	118	center and may enter into an agreement with any public or private
119	119	entity for that purpose. An agreement may allow the center to
120	120	provide information, services, or other assistance to an entity in
121	121	exchange for the entity's participation or support.
122	122	Sec. 111.136. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The boards may solicit,
123	123	accept, and administer gifts and grants from any public or private
124	124	source for the purposes of the center.
125	125	Sec. 111.137. PERSONNEL. The boards may employ personnel
126	126	for the center as necessary.
127	127	Sec. 111.138. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires
128	128	September 1, 2023.
129	129	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
130	130	* * * * *