By Craddick                                            H.B. No. 484
         77R9867 JJT-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to emergency response preparations for pipeline
 1-3     transportation of hazardous liquids, carbon dioxide, or natural
 1-4     gas.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 117.012, Natural Resources Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Subsections (h)-(j) to read as follows:
 1-8           (h)  The commission shall require operators or their
 1-9     designated representatives to communicate and conduct liaison
1-10     activities with fire, police, and other appropriate public
1-11     emergency response officials.  The liaison activities must be
1-12     conducted by meetings in person except as provided by this section.
1-13     An operator or the operator's representative may conduct required
1-14     community liaison activities as provided by Subsection (i) only if
1-15     the operator or the operator's representative has made the
1-16     following efforts to conduct a community liaison meeting in person
1-17     with the officials:
1-18                 (1)  mailing a written request for a meeting in person
1-19     to the appropriate officials by certified mail, return receipt
1-20     requested;
1-21                 (2)  sending a request for a meeting in person to the
1-22     appropriate officials by facsimile transmission; and
1-23                 (3)  making one or more telephone calls or e-mail
1-24     message transmissions to the appropriate officials to request a
 2-1     meeting in person.
 2-2           (i)  If the operator or operator's representative cannot
 2-3     arrange a meeting in person after complying with Subsection (h),
 2-4     the operator or the operator's representative shall make the
 2-5     following efforts to conduct community liaison activities by means
 2-6     of a telephone conference call with the officials:
 2-7                 (1)  mailing a written request for a telephone
 2-8     conference to the appropriate officials by certified mail, return
 2-9     receipt requested;
2-10                 (2)  sending a request for a telephone conference to
2-11     the appropriate officials by facsimile transmission; and
2-12                 (3)  making one or more telephone calls or e-mail
2-13     message transmissions to the appropriate officials to request a
2-14     telephone conference.
2-15           (j)  If the operator or the operator's representative has
2-16     made the efforts required by Subsections (h) and (i) but has not
2-17     successfully arranged a meeting in person or a telephone
2-18     conference, the community liaison information required to be
2-19     conveyed may be delivered by mailing the information by certified
2-20     mail, return receipt requested.
2-21           SECTION 2. Section 121.2015, Utilities Code, is amended to
2-22     read as follows:
2-23           Sec. 121.2015.  REQUIRED SAFETY RULES. (a)  The railroad
2-24     commission shall adopt rules regarding:
2-25                 (1)  public education and awareness relating to gas
2-26     pipeline facilities; and
2-27                 (2)  community liaison for responding to an emergency
 3-1     relating to a gas pipeline facility.
 3-2           (b)  The commission shall require operators or their
 3-3     designated representatives to communicate and conduct liaison
 3-4     activities with fire, police, and other appropriate public
 3-5     emergency response officials.  The liaison activities must be
 3-6     conducted by meetings in person except as provided by this section.
 3-7     An operator or the operator's representative may conduct required
 3-8     community liaison activities as provided by Subsection (c) only if
 3-9     the operator or the operator's representative has made the
3-10     following efforts to conduct a community liaison meeting in person
3-11     with the officials:
3-12                 (1)  mailing a written request for a meeting in person
3-13     to the appropriate officials by certified mail, return receipt
3-14     requested;
3-15                 (2)  sending a request for a meeting in person to the
3-16     appropriate officials by facsimile transmission; and
3-17                 (3)  making one or more telephone calls or e-mail
3-18     message transmissions to the appropriate officials to request a
3-19     meeting in person.
3-20           (c)  If the operator or operator's representative cannot
3-21     arrange a meeting in person after complying with Subsection (b),
3-22     the operator or the operator's representative shall make the
3-23     following efforts to conduct community liaison activities by means
3-24     of a telephone conference call with the officials:
3-25                 (1)  mailing a written request for a telephone
3-26     conference to the appropriate officials by certified mail, return
3-27     receipt requested;
 4-1                 (2)  sending a request for a telephone conference to
 4-2     the appropriate officials by facsimile transmission; and
 4-3                 (3)  making one or more telephone calls or e-mail
 4-4     message transmissions to the appropriate officials to request a
 4-5     telephone conference.
 4-6           (d)  If the operator or the operator's representative has
 4-7     made the efforts required by Subsections (b) and (c) but has not
 4-8     successfully arranged a meeting in person or a telephone
 4-9     conference, the community liaison information required to be
4-10     conveyed may be delivered by mailing the information by certified
4-11     mail, return receipt requested.
4-12           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.