1-1     By:  Cain                                             S.B. No. 1911

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 25, 1997; April 2, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources;

 1-4     April 21, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 8,

 1-5     Nays 0; April 21, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to inspection of, and public awareness concerning,

 1-9     interstate natural gas pipelines within the State of Texas.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Subsection (A), Article 6053-1, Revised Statutes,

1-12     is amended to read as follows:

1-13           (A)  For the purpose of providing exclusive state control

1-14     over safety standards and practices applicable to the

1-15     transportation of gas and all gas pipeline facilities within the

1-16     borders of this state to the maximum degree permissible under the

1-17     federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 (49 U.S.C. Section

1-18     60101 et seq.) or any successor legislation, the Railroad

1-19     Commission of Texas is hereby expressly granted the power to

1-20     describe or adopt by regulation safety standards for all such

1-21     transportation of gas and gas pipeline facilities  which are not

1-22     subject to exclusive federal control, to require record maintenance

1-23     and reports, and to inspect records and facilities to determine

1-24     compliance with such safety standards, and, from time to time, to

1-25     make certifications and reports and to take any other requisite

1-26     action in accordance with the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of

1-27     1968 or any successor legislation.  The Railroad Commission of

1-28     Texas also has authority to conduct inspections on interstate

1-29     facilities delegated through an interstate agent agreement with the

1-30     Texas Department of Transportation.

1-31           SECTION 2.  Article 6053-1, Revised Statutes, is amended by

1-32     adding Subsection (E) to read as follows:

1-33           (E)  The Railroad Commission of Texas shall adopt rules for

1-34     public education and awareness concerning pipeline facilities and

1-35     for a community liaison for responding to emergencies.

1-36           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-37     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-38     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-39     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-40     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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