By Lewis of Orange H.B. No. 3219
77R7231 QS-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to testing liquefied petroleum gas systems in certain
1-3 school facilities.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 113, Natural Resources Code, is amended
1-6 by adding Subchapter L to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER L. TESTING OF LP GAS SYSTEMS
1-8 IN SCHOOL FACILITIES
1-9 Sec. 113.351. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-10 (1) "School district" means:
1-11 (A) an entity created under the laws of this
1-12 state and accredited by the Texas Education Agency under Subchapter
1-13 D, Chapter 39, Education Code; or
1-14 (B) a private school, other than home school,
1-15 approved by the Texas Education Agency under Section 132.056,
1-16 Education Code.
1-17 (2) "Supplier" means an individual or company that
1-18 sells and delivers liquefied petroleum (LP) gas to a school
1-19 district facility. If more than one individual or company sells
1-20 and delivers LP gas to a facility of a school district, each
1-21 individual or company is a supplier for purposes of this
1-22 subchapter.
1-23 Sec. 113.352. DUTY TO TEST FOR LEAKAGE. (a) Each school
1-24 district shall perform pressure tests for leakage on the LP gas
2-1 piping system in each school district facility at least biennially.
2-2 The tests must be performed before the beginning of the school
2-3 year.
2-4 (b) The school district may perform the pressure tests on a
2-5 two-year cycle under which the tests are performed for the LP gas
2-6 piping systems of approximately one-half of the facilities each
2-7 year.
2-8 (c) If a school district operates one or more school
2-9 district facilities on a year-round calendar, the pressure test in
2-10 each of those facilities must be conducted and reported not later
2-11 than July 1 of the year in which the test is performed.
2-12 (d) A test performed under a municipal code satisfies the
2-13 pressure testing requirements prescribed by this section.
2-14 Sec. 113.353. REQUIREMENTS OF TEST. (a) The school district
2-15 shall perform the pressure test to determine whether the LP gas
2-16 piping system holds at least the amount of pressure specified by
2-17 the National Fire Protection Association 54, National Fuel Gas
2-18 Code.
2-19 (b) The pressure test must be conducted in accordance with
2-20 National Fire Protection Association 54.
2-21 (c) At the request of a school district, the commission
2-22 shall assist the district in providing for the certification of an
2-23 employee of the school district or school, as applicable, to
2-24 conduct the test and in developing a procedure for conducting the
2-25 test.
2-26 Sec. 113.354. NOTICE OF TEST. (a) A school district shall
2-27 provide written notice to the commission specifying the date and
3-1 the result of each pressure test or other inspection of the LP gas
3-2 piping system.
3-3 (b) Before the introduction of any LP gas into the LP gas
3-4 piping system, the school district shall provide verification to
3-5 the district's supplier that the piping has been tested in
3-6 accordance with this subchapter.
3-7 (c) The commission shall maintain a copy of the notice
3-8 provided under Subsection (a) until at least the first anniversary
3-9 of the date the commission received the notice.
3-10 Sec. 113.355. 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 leakage
3-14 in the facility LP gas piping system; or
3-15 (2) a test at the facility is not performed as
3-16 required by this subchapter.
3-17 Sec. 113.356. REPORT TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES. An identified LP
3-18 gas leakage in a school district facility shall be reported to the
3-19 board of trustees of the district in which the facility is located.
3-20 Sec. 113.357. ENFORCEMENT. The commission shall enforce
3-21 this subchapter.
3-22 SECTION 2. Subchapter L, Chapter 113, Natural Resources
3-23 Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2001-2002
3-24 school year, and each school district that uses liquefied petroleum
3-25 gas shall perform pressure tests as required by that subchapter.
3-26 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-27 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
4-1 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
4-2 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
4-3 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.