By:  Cain                                             S.B. No. 1911

         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to inspection of interstate natural gas pipelines within

 1-2     the State of Texas.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Title 102, Revised Statutes, Article 6053-1, is

 1-5     amended as follows:

 1-6           Art. 6053-1.  TRANSPORTATION OF GAS AND GAS PIPELINE

 1-7     FACILITIES; SAFETY STANDARDS.  For the purpose of providing

 1-8     exclusive state control over safety standards and practices

 1-9     applicable to the transportation of gas and all gas pipeline

1-10     facilities within the borders of this state to the maximum degrees

1-11     permissible under the federal Pipeline Safety Act or any successor

1-12     legislation, the Railroad Commission of Texas is hereby expressly

1-13     granted the power to describe or adopt by regulation safety

1-14     standards for all such transportation of gas and gas pipeline

1-15     facilities, which are not subject to exclusive federal control, to

1-16     require records maintenance and reports, and to inspect records and

1-17     facilities to determine compliance with such safety standards, and,

1-18     from time to time, to make certifications and reports and to take

1-19     any other requisite action in accordance with the Pipeline Safety

1-20     Act or any successor legislation.  The Commission also has

1-21     authority to conduct inspections on those interstate facilities

 2-1     delegated through an interstate agent agreement with the Department

 2-2     of Transportation.

 2-3           SECTION 2.  Article 6053-1 is amended by adding new section

 2-4     (e):

 2-5           (e)  The commission shall adopt rules for public education

 2-6     and awareness for pipeline facilities and community liaison for

 2-7     responding to emergencies.

 2-8           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.