| 1 | 1 | | By: Zwiener H.B. No. 1438 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | Relating to climate change planning and reporting. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 5, Health and Safety Code, is |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Chapter 396 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | CHAPTER 396. CLIMATE CHANGE PLANNING AND REPORTING |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 396.0001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | (1) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | Environmental Quality. |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | (2) "Office" means the office of the state |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | climatologist. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | Sec. 396.0002. CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT REPORT. (a) Not later |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | than June 1, 2026, and before the end of each successive four-year |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | period after that date, the commission and the office shall prepare |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | a report on the potential impact of climate change in this state. |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (b) The report required by this section must include |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | information regarding: |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (1) scientific predictions regarding changes in |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | temperature and precipitation patterns and amounts in this state |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | that could result from climate change; |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (2) the potential impact of climate change on: |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (A) human health; |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (B) the economy and the management of economic |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | risk; |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (C) infrastructure; |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (D) surface water and groundwater; |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (E) emergency preparedness; |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (F) state and local government finances; |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (G) forests, wildlife, and fisheries; |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (H) agriculture; and |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (I) recreation and tourism; |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (3) significant uncertainties about climate change; |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | and |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | (4) economic opportunities created by the potential |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | need for: |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | (A) alternative sources of energy; |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (B) climate-related technologies, services, and |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | strategies; |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | (C) carbon sequestration technologies; and |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | (D) technologies for the capture and utilization |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | of fugitive greenhouse gas emissions or other mitigation |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | strategies. |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | (c) In preparing the report required by this section, the |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | commission and the office may consult with other state or federal |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | agencies or academic institutions, as appropriate. The report shall |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | reflect any diversity of views within the scientific community and |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | among the entities consulted by the commission and the office. |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | (d) The commission and the office shall make the report |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | required by this section available to the public in print and on the |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | commission's Internet website. |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | Sec. 396.0003. GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY. (a) The |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | commission and the office shall annually compile an inventory of |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | greenhouse gases emitted in this state by all sources. |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | (b) The inventory required by this section must establish: |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | (1) a baseline of greenhouse gas emissions to be used |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | to project future greenhouse gas emissions in the absence of |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | governmental intervention; |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | (2) greenhouse gas emission trends; and |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | (3) the relative contributions of major sectors, |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | including the transportation, electricity generation, industrial, |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | commercial, mineral and natural resources, alternative fuel, |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | agricultural, and domestic sectors. |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | Sec. 396.0004. CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN. (a) Not later |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | than December 1, 2026, and before the end of each successive |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | four-year period after that date, the commission and the office |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | shall create a climate change action plan. |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | (b) The climate change action plan required by this section |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | shall: |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | (1) include the information gathered as part of the |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | greenhouse gas inventory described by Section 396.0003; |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | (2) evaluate cost-effective strategies for reducing |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | or offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, including the costs, |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | benefits, and co-benefits of those strategies, and how those |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | strategies impact the capability of meeting future energy demands; |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | (3) identify areas of disagreement regarding |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | strategies covered by the plan; and |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | (4) recommend legislative changes necessary to |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | implement the plan. |
|---|
| 85 | 85 | | (c) The commission and the office shall deliver the climate |
|---|
| 86 | 86 | | action plan required by this section to the relevant standing |
|---|
| 87 | 87 | | committees of the senate and the house of representatives and make |
|---|
| 88 | 88 | | the plan available to the public in print and on the commission's |
|---|
| 89 | 89 | | Internet website. |
|---|
| 90 | 90 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|---|