Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB632 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 632
	1	+	By: Darby, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Seliger) H.B. No. 632
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 2021;
	3	+	May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on
	4	+	Administration; May 20, 2021, reported favorably by the following
	5	+	vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 20, 2021, sent to printer.)
	6	+	Click here to see the committee vote
2	7
3	8
	9	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	10		AN ACT
5	11		relating to the establishment of an advisory committee for the
6	12		TexNet seismic monitoring program.
7	13		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	14		SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 67, Education Code, is
9	15		amended by adding Section 67.72 to read as follows:
10	16		Sec. 67.72. TEXNET TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) In
11	17		this section, "program" means the TexNet seismic monitoring program
12	18		administered by the bureau.
13	19		(b) The TexNet Technical Advisory Committee is established
14	20		as an advisory committee within the bureau.
15	21		(c) The advisory committee consists of nine members
16	22		appointed by the governor who work or reside in this state,
17	23		including:
18	24		(1) one representative of the Railroad Commission of
19	25		Texas who specializes in seismology, geomechanical engineering,
20	26		reservoir engineering, or another related field recommended to the
21	27		governor by the executive director of the Railroad Commission of
22	28		Texas; and
23	29		(2) at least three representatives from the oil and
24	30		gas industry, not to include the representative appointed under
25	31		Subdivision (1).
26	32		(d) The governor shall designate a member of the advisory
27	33		committee as the chair of the advisory committee to serve in that
28	34		capacity at the pleasure of the governor.
29	35		(e) A person affiliated with the bureau or under contract
30	36		for services with the bureau may not serve as a voting member of the
31	37		advisory committee.
32	38		(f) The director of the bureau shall serve, ex officio, as a
33	39		nonvoting member of the advisory committee.
34	40		(g) The advisory committee shall:
35	41		(1) in coordination with the bureau, develop
36	42		recommendations for a program of work to assist the program and any
37	43		research efforts affiliated with the program in accomplishing the
38	44		goals of the program, including recommendations regarding:
39	45		(A) the acquisition and deployment of equipment;
40	46		(B) contracting with vendors;
41	47		(C) determining the scope of research programs
42	48		associated with the program; and
43	49		(D) determining the scope of any use of funds
44	50		appropriated by the legislature for the program or associated
45	51		research;
46	52		(2) review and approve or reject expenditures made in
47	53		connection with the program;
48	54		(3) prepare and approve an annual budget for the use of
49	55		any funds appropriated for the program by the legislature;
50	56		(4) provide oversight and input on the acquisition,
51	57		deployment, and operation of new and existing program equipment;
52	58		(5) ensure that there is a monthly transmission of the
53	59		data collected by seismic equipment operated under the program to
54	60		the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology database;
55	61		and
56	62		(6) meet with the bureau quarterly to discuss the
57	63		progress of the program, expenditures made in connection with the
58	64		program, and any other information related to the program that the
59	65		advisory committee finds necessary.
60	66		(h) Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year,
61	67		the advisory committee and the bureau jointly shall prepare and
62	68		submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of
63	69		the house of representatives a report that includes:
64	70		(1) a review of the use of any funds appropriated for
65	71		the program by the legislature;
66	72		(2) a complete listing and accounting of all research
67	73		funded through the program, including:
68	74		(A) a list of contractors employed under the
69	75		program;
70	76		(B) an itemized budget for each program element;
71	77		and
72	78		(C) a list of the geographic coverage of the
73	79		program; and
74	80		(3) recommendations related to the ongoing operations
75	81		and requirements of the program.
76	82		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
77		-	______________________________ ______________________________
78		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
79		-	I certify that H.B. No. 632 was passed by the House on April
80		-	23, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 124, Nays 22, 2 present, not
81		-	voting.
82		-	______________________________
83		-	Chief Clerk of the House
84		-	I certify that H.B. No. 632 was passed by the Senate on May
85		-	21, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
86		-	______________________________
87		-	Secretary of the Senate
88		-	APPROVED: _____________________
89		-	Date
90		-	_____________________
91		-	Governor
	83	+	* * * * *