BILL ANALYSIS



S.B. 480
By: Armbrister (Saunders)
March 8, 1995
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

The federal government preempted all state and local natural gas
pipeline safety regulation when it enacted the Natural Gas Pipeline
Safety Act of 1968.  Since that time, the federal government has
authorized the Railroad Commission of Texas to have sole regulation
of natural gas pipeline safety regulation in this state.  Any
attempt by a county or municipality to set safety guidelines for
natural gas pipelines is an attempt to supersede the state's
regulatory power.


PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 480 prohibits a municipality or county from
adopting or enforcing an ordinance, resolution, or other
requirement that establishes safety standards or practices
applicable to transportation of gas and gas pipeline facilities.


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.


SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article 6053-1 (Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes),
Revised Statutes, as follows:


     Article 6053-1.  TRANSPORTATION OF GAS AND GAS PIPELINE
     FACILITIES; SAFETY STANDARDS.
     
     (A) is amended to add the citation of U.S. Code for the Gas
     Pipeline Safety Act of 1968.
     
     (B) and (C) are not changed.
     
     (D) is amended to prohibit a municipality or county from
     adopting or enforcing an ordinance that establishes safety
     standards or practices for facilities that are regulated under
     this article or another state or federal law.
         Also prohibit this article, except as provided, from
     reducing, limiting, or impairing any power vested by law in
     any incorporated city, town, or village, or its ability to
     adopt ordinances that establish conditions for mapping,
     inventory, installing, or relocating pipelines over, under,
     along or across public streets and alleys or private
     residential areas within boundaries of the city, or its
     ability to establish conditions for these same activities in
     areas within the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction.
     
     
     SECTION 2.     Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

SB 480 was considered by the Energy Resources Committee in a public
hearing on March 20, 1995. The following witnesses testified in
favor of the bill:
     James Mann, representing the Association of Texas Intrastate
Natural Gas Pipelines; and,
     George Strong, representing ENRON Corporation.

No one testified against the bill. The bill was reported favorably
without amendment, with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed, by a record vote of 8 ayes, 0 nays, 0 PNV, and 1 absent.