| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the creation of the Climate Change Impact Assessment |
|
|
Council. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "council" means the Climate |
|
|
Change Impact Assessment Council established by this Act. |
|
|
(b) The council is established to study the impact of |
|
|
climate change on the health, safety, and welfare of the residents |
|
|
of this state. |
|
|
(c) The council is composed of the following members: |
|
|
(1) two members of the senate appointed by the |
|
|
lieutenant governor; |
|
|
(2) two members of the house of representatives |
|
|
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and |
|
|
(3) seven members of the public appointed jointly by |
|
|
the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of |
|
|
representatives, including: |
|
|
(A) one member with expertise in climatology; |
|
|
(B) one member with expertise in this state's |
|
|
economy; |
|
|
(C) one member with expertise in land management |
|
|
and natural resource maintenance; and |
|
|
(D) one member representing the tourism |
|
|
industry. |
|
|
(d) A public member of the council is entitled to |
|
|
reimbursement of the travel expenses incurred by the member while |
|
|
conducting the business of the council, as provided by the General |
|
|
Appropriations Act. |
|
|
(e) Each legislative standing committee with primary |
|
|
jurisdiction over environmental regulation shall provide any |
|
|
needed personnel and administrative support to the council. |
|
|
(f) The council shall conduct a study to: |
|
|
(1) assess the current and potential effects of |
|
|
climate change trends on the residents, natural resources, public |
|
|
health, and economy of this state; |
|
|
(2) estimate the costs to this state of adverse |
|
|
effects associated with climate change; |
|
|
(3) research measures for preventing or mitigating the |
|
|
effects of flooding, erosion, drought, and wildfires that may be |
|
|
caused or worsened by climate change; and |
|
|
(4) recommend legislation or other regulations to |
|
|
minimize the adverse impact of climate change on this state. |
|
|
(g) The council shall hold public hearings in various parts |
|
|
of this state to gather information related to the study described |
|
|
in Subsection (f) of this section. |
|
|
(h) Not later than January 1, 2027, the council shall |
|
|
prepare and submit a report to the legislature containing the |
|
|
results of the study described in Subsection (f) of this section. |
|
|
(i) The council is abolished and this Act expires September |
|
|
1, 2027. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2025, the lieutenant |
|
|
governor and the speaker of the house of representatives shall |
|
|
appoint members to the Climate Change Impact Assessment Council as |
|
|
required by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |