| 1 | 1 | | 84R647 JRR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Ellis S.B. No. 77 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the development of a climate adaptation plan by certain |
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| 8 | 8 | | entities. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 5, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Chapter 395 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | CHAPTER 395. CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLAN |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 395.001. PARTICIPATING ENTITIES. Not later than |
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| 14 | 14 | | September 1, 2016, and before the end of each successive four-year |
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| 15 | 15 | | period after that date, each of the following entities shall |
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| 16 | 16 | | publish a climate adaptation plan that will assess the entity's |
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| 17 | 17 | | role with respect to climate change: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) the Department of Agriculture; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) each independent organization certified under |
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| 20 | 20 | | Section 39.151, Utilities Code; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (3) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (4) the General Land Office; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (5) the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
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| 24 | 24 | | Affairs; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (6) the Texas Department of Insurance; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (7) the Parks and Wildlife Department; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (8) the Department of Public Safety of the State of |
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| 28 | 28 | | Texas; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (9) the Public Utility Commission of Texas; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (10) the office of the comptroller; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (11) the Texas A&M Forest Service; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (12) the Texas Water Development Board. |
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| 33 | 33 | | Sec. 395.002. PLAN. (a) For the purposes of this chapter, |
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| 34 | 34 | | a climate adaptation plan is a strategy to identify, minimize, and |
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| 35 | 35 | | adequately prepare for the effects of climate change on the social, |
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| 36 | 36 | | economic, and ecological systems of this state and to manage the |
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| 37 | 37 | | risks associated with a changing climate. A plan under this chapter |
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| 38 | 38 | | must be based on current peer-reviewed climate science that |
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| 39 | 39 | | identifies the likely impacts of rising ambient temperatures, |
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| 40 | 40 | | rising sea levels, and changes in precipitation patterns on this |
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| 41 | 41 | | state. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (b) Each climate adaptation plan must include: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (1) a climate change vulnerability assessment; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (2) a review of existing programs in the context of |
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| 45 | 45 | | anticipated changing climate conditions; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (3) specific steps necessary for the entity to fulfill |
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| 47 | 47 | | its mission during the anticipated climate change; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (4) an analysis of the effects implementing the steps |
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| 49 | 49 | | identified under Subdivision (3) would have on the entity's budget |
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| 50 | 50 | | during the next 5 and 10 years; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (5) potential sources of funding to support the |
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| 52 | 52 | | entity's efforts to adapt to climate change; |
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| 53 | 53 | | (6) a statewide strategy to monitor the continuing |
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| 54 | 54 | | effects that climate change may have on the entity's ability to |
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| 55 | 55 | | fulfill the entity's missions; and |
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| 56 | 56 | | (7) a written statement by the Texas state |
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| 57 | 57 | | climatologist regarding the adequacy of the scientific basis of the |
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| 58 | 58 | | plan. |
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| 59 | 59 | | (c) In developing a climate adaptation plan, each entity |
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| 60 | 60 | | subject to this chapter shall: |
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| 61 | 61 | | (1) consider the most current assessment reports |
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| 62 | 62 | | created by the United States Global Change Research Program; and |
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| 63 | 63 | | (2) consult with the Texas state climatologist or |
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| 64 | 64 | | another climate expert employed at a Texas institution of higher |
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| 65 | 65 | | education or nonprofit research institution. |
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| 66 | 66 | | (d) Not later than September 1, 2016, and before the end of |
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| 67 | 67 | | each successive four-year period after that date, each entity |
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| 68 | 68 | | subject to this chapter shall post the entity's climate adaptation |
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| 69 | 69 | | plan on a publicly accessible Internet website and electronically |
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| 70 | 70 | | submit a copy of the plan to: |
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| 71 | 71 | | (1) the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of |
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| 72 | 72 | | the house of representatives; |
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| 73 | 73 | | (2) the presiding officer of each standing committee |
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| 74 | 74 | | or subcommittee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over |
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| 75 | 75 | | environmental matters; and |
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| 76 | 76 | | (3) the executive director of the Texas Commission on |
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| 77 | 77 | | Environmental Quality. |
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| 78 | 78 | | (e) Each climate adaptation plan is subject to audit by the |
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| 79 | 79 | | state auditor in accordance with Chapter 321, Government Code. |
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| 80 | 80 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 81 | 81 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 82 | 82 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 83 | 83 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 84 | 84 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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