By Turner of Coleman H.B. No. 1611
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the testing of natural gas piping systems in school
1-3 district facilities.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Title 102, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
1-6 Article 6053-2a to read as follows:
1-7 Art. 6053-2a. TESTING OF NATURAL GAS PIPING SYSTEMS IN
1-8 SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITIES
1-9 Sec. 1. (a) Before the beginning of each school year, each
1-10 school district shall test the pressure in the natural gas piping
1-11 system in each school district facility. In the event of year
1-12 round schooling, the test shall be conducted and reported by July 1
1-13 of each year.
1-14 (b) The pressure test shall determine whether the natural
1-15 gas piping downstream of the school district's meter holds at least
1-16 normal operating pressure over a specified period determined by the
1-17 Railroad Commission of Texas.
1-18 (c) During the pressure test, each system supply inlet and
1-19 outlet in the facility must be closed.
1-20 (d) At the request of a school district, the Railroad
1-21 Commission of Texas shall assist the district in developing a
1-22 procedure for conducting the test.
1-23 (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a
1-24 school district's compliance with the inspection requirement
2-1 concerning the pressure in the natural gas piping systems in school
2-2 district facilities under the code of a municipality in which the
2-3 school district is located satisfies the pressure testing
2-4 requirements under this section.
2-5 Sec. 2. (a) Each school district shall provide written
2-6 notice to the company supplying natural gas to the district
2-7 specifying the date and result of each pressure test or other
2-8 inspection.
2-9 (b) The company shall maintain a copy of the notice until
2-10 at least the first anniversary of the date on which the company
2-11 received the notice.
2-12 (c) The company shall terminate service to a school district
2-13 facility if:
2-14 (1) the company receives official notification from
2-15 the firm or individual conducting the test of a hazardous natural
2-16 gas leakage in the facility piping system; or
2-17 (2) the district fails to perform a test or other
2-18 inspection at the facility as required by this article.
2-19 (d) For purposes of this article, the term "supplier" shall
2-20 mean the person or company selling and delivering the natural gas
2-21 to a school district facility; provided, that if one person or
2-22 company is selling the natural gas to a school district facility
2-23 and another person or company is delivering the natural gas to a
2-24 school district facility, then each such person or company is a
2-25 supplier for purposes of this article.
2-26 (e) The Railroad Commission of Texas shall provide
2-27 enforcement in the event of noncompliance.
3-1 (f) Identified natural gas leaks will be reported to the
3-2 local school board.
3-3 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Article 6053-2a, Revised
3-4 Statutes, as added by this Act, if a school district is not able,
3-5 before the beginning of the 1997-1998 school year, to perform the
3-6 tests or other inspections of natural gas piping system pressure as
3-7 required by that article, the district shall perform the tests or
3-8 other inspections as soon as practicable thereafter.
3-9 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-15 passage, and it is so enacted.