BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 3918
By: Darby (Ogden)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current statute mandates that all school facilities operating on liquefied petroleum (LP) gas be pressure tested in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association 54 every year two years and the results sent to the Railroad Commission of Texas (railroad commission).
This bill changes the testing method of LP-gas systems in school facilities from pressure testing to leakage testing and it requires that the test be conducted in accordance with the railroad commission's safety rules.
H.B. 3918 amends current law relating to testing LP-gas systems in certain school facilities.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Sections 113.352(a)-(c), Natural Resources Code, as follows:
(a) Requires each school district to perform leakage, rather than pressure, tests for leakage on the LP-gas piping system in each school district facility at least biennially.
(b)-(c) Makes conforming changes.
SECTION 2. Amends Sections 113.353(a) and (b), Natural Resources Code, as follows:
(a) Requires the school district to perform the leakage test to determine whether the LP-gas piping system holds at least the amount of pressure specified by the Railroad Commission of Texas (railroad commission), rather than the National Fire Protection Association 54, National Fuel Gas Code. Makes a conforming change.
(b) Requires that the leakage test be conducted in accordance with Railroad Commission of texas railroad commission rules, rather than National Fire Protection Association 54, National Fuel Gas Code. Makes a conforming change.
SECTION 3. Amends Sections 113.354(a) and (c), Natural Resources Code, as follows:
(a) Requires a school district to retain documentation specifying the date and the result of each leakage test or other inspection of each LP-gas piping system until at least the fifth anniversary of the date the test or other inspection was performed. Deletes existing text requiring a school district to provide written notice to the railroad commission specifying the date and the result of each pressure test or other inspection of the LP-gas piping system.
(b) Authorizes the railroad commission to review a school district's documentation of each leakage test or other inspection conducted by the school district. Deletes existing text requiring the railroad commission to maintain a copy of the notice provided under Subsection (a) until at least the first anniversary of the date the railroad commission received the notice.
SECTION 4. Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.
SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.