By Turner of Coleman                                   H.B. No. 517
         77R2167 JJT-F                           
                                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.  The heading to Subchapter J, Chapter 121,
 1-6     Utilities Code, is amended to read as follows:
 1-7           SUBCHAPTER J. TESTING OF NATURAL GAS PIPING SYSTEMS IN
 1-8                        SCHOOL [DISTRICT] FACILITIES
 1-9           SECTION 2.  Subchapter J, Chapter 121, Utilities Code, is
1-10     amended by adding Section 121.5005 to read as follows:
1-11           Sec. 121.5005.  APPLICABILITY.  This subchapter applies to a
1-12     facility of a public elementary or secondary school, including a
1-13     charter school, or a private elementary or secondary school, but
1-14     does not apply to a home school.
1-15           SECTION 3.  Sections 121.501-121.506, Utilities Code, are
1-16     amended to read as follows:
1-17           Sec. 121.501.  DEFINITION.  In this subchapter, "supplier"
1-18     means an individual or company that sells and delivers natural gas
1-19     to a school [district] facility.  If more than one individual or
1-20     company sells and delivers natural gas to a school facility [of a
1-21     school district], each individual or company is a supplier for
1-22     purposes of this subchapter.
1-23           Sec. 121.502.  DUTY TO PRESSURE TEST.  (a)  A person
1-24     responsible for a school facility [Each school district] shall
 2-1     perform biennial pressure tests on the natural gas piping system in
 2-2     the [each] school [district] facility.  The [school district shall
 2-3     perform the] tests must be performed before the beginning of the
 2-4     school year.
 2-5           (b)  A person responsible for more than one school facility
 2-6     [The school district] may perform the tests on a two-year cycle
 2-7     under which the person [district] pressure tests the natural gas
 2-8     piping system in approximately one-half of the facilities each
 2-9     year.
2-10           (c)  If the person responsible for [a school district
2-11     operates] one or more school facilities operates the [district]
2-12     facilities on a year-round calendar, the pressure test in each of
2-13     those facilities must be conducted and reported not later than July
2-14     1 of the year in which the pressure test is performed.
2-15           (d)  A natural gas piping pressure test performed under a
2-16     municipal code satisfies the pressure testing requirements
2-17     prescribed by this section.
2-18           Sec. 121.503.  REQUIREMENTS OF TEST.  (a)  The person
2-19     responsible for a school facility [school district] shall perform
2-20     the pressure test to determine whether the natural gas piping
2-21     downstream of the school facility's [district's] meter holds at
2-22     least normal operating pressure over a specified period determined
2-23     by the railroad commission.
2-24           (b)  During the pressure test, each system supply inlet and
2-25     outlet in the school facility must be closed.
2-26           (c)  At the request of a person responsible for a school
2-27     facility [school district], the railroad commission shall assist
 3-1     the person [district] in developing a procedure for conducting the
 3-2     test.
 3-3           Sec. 121.504.  NOTICE OF TEST.  (a)  A person responsible for
 3-4     a school facility [school district] shall provide written notice to
 3-5     the school's [district's natural gas] supplier specifying the date
 3-6     and result of each pressure test or other inspection.
 3-7           (b)  The supplier shall maintain a copy of the notice until
 3-8     at least the first anniversary of the date on which the supplier
 3-9     received the notice.
3-10           Sec. 121.505.  TERMINATION OF SERVICE.  A supplier shall
3-11     terminate service to a school [district] facility if:
3-12                 (1)  the supplier receives official notification from
3-13     the firm or individual conducting the test of a hazardous natural
3-14     gas leakage in the facility piping system; or
3-15                 (2)  [the district fails to perform] a test or other
3-16     inspection at the facility is not performed as required by this
3-17     subchapter.
3-18           Sec. 121.506.  REPORT OF LEAKAGE [TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES].  An
3-19     identified natural gas leakage in a school district facility must
3-20     be reported to the board of trustees of the district in which the
3-21     facility is located.  An identified natural gas leakage in another
3-22     school facility must be reported to the person responsible for the
3-23     school facility.
3-24           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.