By Turner of Coleman H.B. No. 1611
75R6985 CAS-D
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.
1-12 (b) The pressure test shall determine whether the natural
1-13 gas piping downstream of the school district's meter holds at least
1-14 normal operating pressure over a specified period determined by the
1-15 Railroad Commission of Texas.
1-16 (c) During the pressure test, each system supply inlet and
1-17 outlet in the facility must be closed.
1-18 (d) At the request of a school district, the Railroad
1-19 Commission of Texas shall assist the district in developing a
1-20 procedure for conducting the test.
1-21 Sec. 2. (a) Each school district shall provide written
1-22 notice to the company supplying natural gas to the district
1-23 specifying the date and result of each pressure test.
1-24 (b) The company shall maintain a copy of the notice until
2-1 at least the first anniversary of the date on which the company
2-2 received the notice.
2-3 (c) The company shall terminate service to a school district
2-4 facility if:
2-5 (1) the company receives notice of a hazardous natural
2-6 gas leakage in the facility piping system; or
2-7 (2) the district fails to perform a test at the
2-8 facility as required by this article.
2-9 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Article 6053-2a, Revised
2-10 Statutes, as added by this Act, if a school district is not able,
2-11 before the beginning of the 1997-1998 school year, to perform the
2-12 tests of natural gas piping system pressure as required by that
2-13 article, the district shall perform the tests as soon as
2-14 practicable thereafter.
2-15 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-21 passage, and it is so enacted.
2-22 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
2-23 Page 1, line 11. Add the following new sentence to
2-24 subsection (a).
2-25 In the event of year round schooling, the test shall be conducted
2-26 and reported by July 1 of each year.
2-27 Merritt
3-1 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 2
3-2 Page 2, line 5. Amend (c)(1) as follows:
3-3 After the word "receives" delete the word "notice" and insert
3-4 the following language "official notification from the firm or
3-5 individual conducting the test,"
3-6 Merritt
3-7 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 3
3-8 Page 2, line 8. Add the following new subsection (d) after
3-9 line 8.
3-10 (d) The Railroad Commission of Texas shall provide
3-11 enforcement in the event of noncompliance.
3-12 Merritt
3-13 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 4
3-14 On Page 2, add a new subsection (e) to Section 2 as follows:
3-15 (e) Identified natural gas leaks will be reported to the
3-16 local school board.
3-17 Davis