By:  Henderson                                        S.B. No. 1244
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to the use of alternative fuels; establishing a
    1-2  alternative fuels council, developing an alternative fuels program,
    1-3  and managing certain appropriated funds.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 113, Natural Resources Code, is amended
    1-6  by adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
    1-7               SUBCHAPTER J.  ALTERNATIVE FUELS COUNCIL
    1-8        Section 113.260.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter, "Council"
    1-9  means the Alternative Fuels Council.
   1-10        SECTION 2.  Section 113.261, Natural Resources Code, is added
   1-11  to read as follows:
   1-12        Section 113.261.  CREATION OF AN ALTERNATIVE FUELS COUNCIL.
   1-13  There is created a council to be known as the Alternative Fuels
   1-14  Council.
   1-15        SECTION 3.  Section 113.262, Natural Resources Code, is added
   1-16  to read as follows:
   1-17        COMPOSITION.  The council shall be composed of the
   1-18  Commissioner of the General Land Office; the Chairperson of the
   1-19  Texas Railroad Commission; and the Chairperson of the General
   1-20  Services Commission, or any of their designees.
   1-21        SECTION 4.  Section 113.263, Natural Resources Code, is added
   1-22  to read as follows:
   1-23        Section 113.263.  DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM.  The council
    2-1  shall institute all steps necessary to develop a continuing
    2-2  comprehensive program to support the use of natural gas, including
    2-3  compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, methanol, other
    2-4  natural gas derivative fuels, and other alternative fuels, and
    2-5  shall manage appropriations from oil overcharge funds.
    2-6        SECTION 5.  Section 113.264, Natural Resources Code, is added
    2-7  to read as follows:
    2-8        Section 113.264.  RULES.  In developing a continuing
    2-9  comprehensive program to support the use of natural gas, including
   2-10  compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, methanol, other
   2-11  natural gas derivative fuels, and other alternative fuels, the
   2-12  council is specifically authorized to set policies and adopt rules
   2-13  necessary to achieving the purposes of this subchapter and to
   2-14  encourage and support the use of natural gas, including compressed
   2-15  natural gas, liquefied natural gas, methanol, other natural gas
   2-16  derivative fuels, and other alternative fuels that are or have the
   2-17  potential to be effective in improving the quality of air in this
   2-18  state.
   2-19        SECTION 6.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect September
   2-20  1, 1993.
   2-21        SECTION 7.  SEVERABILITY.  If any provision of this Act or
   2-22  its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
   2-23  invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this
   2-24  Act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or
   2-25  application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are
    3-1  declared to be severable.
    3-2        SECTION 8.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation
    3-3  and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.