By Wilson H.B. No. 3411 Line and page numbers may not match official copy. Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E. A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the purchase by the state of certain contaminated 1-3 property and the institution of litigation to recover from 1-4 appropriate parties the cost of the purchase. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. PURCHASE OF CONTAMINATED PROPERTY. From funds 1-7 appropriated for the purpose, the Texas Natural Resources 1-8 Conservation Commission shall purchase each parcel of real property 1-9 located in Houston, Harris County, Texas, in the subdivision known 1-10 as the Kennedy Heights subdivision that is known or suspected to be 1-11 contaminated with petroleum or chemical residues from the former 1-12 location of oil storage tank facilities in the area. 1-13 SECTION 2. PARCEL VALUES. The commission shall value each 1-14 parcel for purchase at a value equalling the estimated market value 1-15 of the parcel if uncontaminated. However, the total amount 1-16 expended under this Act to purchase all contaminated parcels may 1-17 not exceed $76 million. 1-18 SECTION 3. LAWSUIT. (a) The commission, with the 1-19 assistance of the attorney general, shall institute suit against 1-20 the persons the commission reasonably identifies as responsible for 1-21 the contamination, and shall seek damages in an amount sufficient 1-22 to reimburse the state for the cost of purchasing the property and 2-1 for the cost of environmental remediation of the property. 2-2 (b) Any funds recovered shall be first credited to the 2-3 account or fund from which the money is appropriated for the 2-4 purchase until that account or fund is fully reimbursed for the 2-5 cost of the purchase. Any excess recovery shall be credited to the 2-6 unobligated portion of the general revenue fund. 2-7 SECTION 4. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 2-8 and the crowded condition of the calendars creates an emergency and 2-9 an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule 2-10 requiring bills to be read on three several days in each house be 2-11 suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, and that this Act 2-12 take effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is 2-13 so enacted.