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.