C.S.H.B. 2847 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 2847 By: Farabee County Affairs Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Pit and Quarry program was instituted in 1991, and requires that guardrails or barricades be constructed for any active pit or quarry within 200 feet of a public roadway. The Legislature assigned administration and enforcement of the program to the Railroad Commission. The Legislature has decreased funding in this program every year since the program's inception and currently only appropriates money for one FTE to oversee and administer the statewide program. The Railroad Commission has assigned the program as low priority primarily because the program is underfunded and therefore not able to accomplish the original intended goal. Moreover, the Commission has addressed most hazardous concerns for pits and quarries over which the Commission has jurisdiction. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Repeals Chapter 133 of the Natural Resources Code. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003 COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute adds sections (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (6) to Section 1 of the original filed version.