MBN H.B. 1611 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


ENERGY RESOURCES
H.B. 1611
By: Turner, Bob
4-4-97
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND 

State law currently requires nursing homes and day care centers to perform
annual pressure tests on their natural gas distribution piping systems to
ensure integrity.  There is no such requirement on schools, although the
Railroad Commission (RRC) does monitor school campuses for leakage.
However, this is a public safety issue which the RRC cannot address
adequately.  Aging school facilities make the need for annual testing even
more critical.  In its monitoring efforts, the RRC often detects leaks
which require immediate action.  Furthermore, there have been 70
self-reported leaks by schools since 1980, according to RRC records.  The
risks to students and school personnel are too great and the potential
exists for another tragedy such as the New London School pipeline
explosion disaster. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of this legislation is to require schools to perform annual
pressure tests on their natural gas distribution piping systems. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Title 102, Revised Statutes, by adding Article 6053-2a,
TESTING OF NATURAL GAS PIPING SYSTEMS IN SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITIES. 

 Section 1(a)-(d) Requires a school district to test the pressure in the
natural gas piping system in each school in the district before the
beginning of each school year. The test should be performed on a "closed"
system and should determine whether the piping downstream of the school's
meter holds at least normal operating pressure over a specified period
determined by the RRC. Upon request, the RRC will assist a school district
in developing a procedure for conducting the test. 

 Section 2. (a)-(c) Requires the school district to provide the natural
gas supplier the results of each test, which the supplier is required to
keep for at least one year. Requires the supplier to terminate service if
the school either fails to perform the annual test or upon  notice that a
hazardous natural gas leakage has been detected.  

SECTION 2. Provides that if a school district is unable to perform the
tests before the beginning of the 1997-1998 school year, the district must
perform the tests as soon as practicable thereafter. 


SECTION 3.  Emergency Clause.
            Effective date:  Upon passage

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

 Amendment #1 by Merritt adds new language in Sec. 1(a) of the bill by
stating that in the event of year round schooling, the natural gas piping
system pressure test shall be conducted and reported by July 1 of each
year. 


Amendment #2 by Merritt inserts the requirement in Sec. 2(c) of the bill
that the company terminating the gas service must receive "official
notification from the firm or individual conducting the test" in place of
simply receiving notification of a gas leak.  Makes conforming change by
deleting the word "notice". 

Amendment #3 by Merritt adds new Sec. 2(d) of the bill stating that the
Railroad Commission of Texas shall provide enforcement if a district fails
to perform a test as required by this article. 

Amendment #4 by Davis adds new Sec. 2(e) of the bill stating that
identified natural gas leaks will be reported to the local school board.