By:  Cain                                             S.B. No. 1911

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to inspection of, and public awareness concerning,

 1-2     interstate natural gas pipelines within the State of Texas.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subsection (A), Article 6053-1, Revised Statutes,

 1-5     is amended to read as follows:

 1-6           (A)  For the purpose of providing exclusive state control

 1-7     over safety standards and practices applicable to the

 1-8     transportation of gas and all gas pipeline facilities within the

 1-9     borders of this state to the maximum degree permissible under the

1-10     federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 (49 U.S.C. Section

1-11     60101 et seq.) or any successor legislation, the Railroad

1-12     Commission of Texas is hereby expressly granted the power to

1-13     describe or adopt by regulation safety standards for all such

1-14     transportation of gas and gas pipeline facilities  which are not

1-15     subject to exclusive federal control, to require record maintenance

1-16     and reports, and to inspect records and facilities to determine

1-17     compliance with such safety standards, and, from time to time, to

1-18     make certifications and reports and to take any other requisite

1-19     action in accordance with the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of

1-20     1968 or any successor legislation.  The Railroad Commission of

1-21     Texas also has authority to conduct inspections on interstate

1-22     facilities delegated through an interstate agent agreement with the

1-23     Texas Department of Transportation.

 2-1           SECTION 2.  Article 6053-1, Revised Statutes, is amended by

 2-2     adding Subsection (E) to read as follows:

 2-3           (E)  The Railroad Commission of Texas shall adopt rules for

 2-4     public education and awareness concerning pipeline facilities and

 2-5     for a community liaison for responding to emergencies.

 2-6           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.