| 1 | 1 | | 87R10745 JRR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Morales Shaw H.B. No. 4258 |
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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 a study by the University of Houston on the expected |
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| 8 | 8 | | effects of future climate change in this state and the preparedness |
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| 9 | 9 | | of this state to address those effects. |
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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. STUDY AND REPORT. (a) The board of regents of |
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| 12 | 12 | | the University of Houston System shall designate a department or |
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| 13 | 13 | | entity at the University of Houston to conduct a study on: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) the expected effects of future climate change in |
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| 15 | 15 | | this state, including: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (A) the expected economic ramifications of |
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| 17 | 17 | | climate change; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (B) the expected effects on agriculture and other |
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| 19 | 19 | | industries of this state that are vulnerable to climate change; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | (C) the expected increase in droughts, natural |
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| 21 | 21 | | disasters, and other environmental conditions resulting from |
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| 22 | 22 | | climate change; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) the preparedness of this state to identify, |
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| 24 | 24 | | minimize, and mitigate the expected effects described by |
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| 25 | 25 | | Subdivision (1) of this subsection. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (b) Not later than December 1, 2022, the University of |
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| 27 | 27 | | Houston shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and |
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| 28 | 28 | | each member of the legislature a report containing the results of |
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| 29 | 29 | | the study conducted under this section. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 2. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires January 1, |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2023. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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| 33 | 33 | | immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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| 34 | 34 | | elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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| 35 | 35 | | Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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| 36 | 36 | | immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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