76R9512 JJT-F By Turner of Coleman H.B. No. 2261 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2261: By Driver C.S.H.B. No. 2261 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to testing natural gas piping in certain school 1-3 facilities. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 121, Utilities Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Subchapter J to read as follows: 1-7 SUBCHAPTER J. TESTING OF NATURAL GAS PIPING SYSTEMS 1-8 IN SCHOOL FACILITIES 1-9 Sec. 121.501. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only to 1-10 a facility of a public school or a private school but does not 1-11 apply to a home school. 1-12 Sec. 121.502. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "supplier" 1-13 means an individual or company that sells and delivers natural gas 1-14 to a school facility. If more than one individual or company sells 1-15 and delivers natural gas to a school facility each individual or 1-16 company is a supplier for purposes of this subchapter. 1-17 Sec. 121.503. DUTY TO PRESSURE TEST. (a) A person 1-18 responsible for a school facility shall perform biennial pressure 1-19 tests on the natural gas piping system in each school facility. 1-20 The tests must be performed before the beginning of the school 1-21 year. 1-22 (b) A person responsible for more than one school facility 1-23 may perform the tests on a two-year cycle under which the pressure 1-24 tests are performed for the natural gas piping systems of 2-1 approximately one-half of the facilities each year. 2-2 (c) If the person responsible for one or more school 2-3 facilities operates the facilities on a year-round calendar, the 2-4 pressure test in each of those facilities must be conducted and 2-5 reported not later than July 1 of the year in which the pressure 2-6 test is performed. 2-7 (d) A test performed under a municipal code satisfies the 2-8 pressure testing requirements prescribed by this section. 2-9 Sec. 121.504. REQUIREMENTS OF TEST. (a) The person 2-10 responsible for a school facility shall perform the pressure test 2-11 to determine whether the natural gas piping downstream of the 2-12 school facility's meter holds at least normal operating pressure 2-13 over a specified period determined by the railroad commission. 2-14 (b) During the pressure test, each system supply inlet and 2-15 outlet in the facility must be closed. 2-16 (c) At the request of a person responsible for a school 2-17 facility, the railroad commission shall assist the person in 2-18 developing a procedure for conducting the test. 2-19 Sec. 121.505. NOTICE OF TEST. (a) A person responsible for 2-20 a school facility shall provide written notice to the school's 2-21 supplier specifying the date and result of each pressure test or 2-22 other inspection. 2-23 (b) The supplier shall maintain a copy of the notice until 2-24 at least the first anniversary of the date on which the supplier 2-25 received the notice. 2-26 Sec. 121.506. TERMINATION OF SERVICE. A supplier shall 2-27 terminate service to a school facility if: 3-1 (1) the supplier receives official notification from 3-2 the firm or individual conducting the test of a hazardous natural 3-3 gas leakage in the facility piping system; or 3-4 (2) a test or other inspection at the facility is not 3-5 performed as required by this subchapter. 3-6 Sec. 121.507. REPORT TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES. An identified 3-7 natural gas leakage in a school district facility must be reported 3-8 to the board of trustees of the district in which the facility is 3-9 located. An identified natural gas leakage in another school 3-10 facility must be reported to the person responsible for the school 3-11 facility. 3-12 Sec. 121.508. ENFORCEMENT. The railroad commission shall 3-13 enforce this subchapter. 3-14 SECTION 2. Article 6053-2a, Revised Statutes, is repealed. 3-15 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-21 passage, and it is so enacted.