AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Interested parties note that recently the Texas Legislature passed certain disaster preparedness and emergency management bills that included a requirement that a combined heating and power system evaluation be performed when constructing or extensively renovating certain critical governmental buildings and facilities. A combined heating and power system is an on-site energy system using underground natural gas lines that will keep power on during and after a disaster or power outage. H.B. 1864 simplifies existing requirements and clarifies compliance in regard to a combined heating and power system evaluation.
H.B. 1864 amends current law relating to certain energy security technologies for critical governmental facilities.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 2311, Government Code, as added by Chapter 1280 (H.B. 1831), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, as follows:
Sec. 2311.001. DEFINITIONS. Redefines “critical governmental facility” to mean a building owned by the state or a political subdivision of the state that is expected to serve certain functions, including serve a critical public health or public safety function during a natural disaster or other emergency situation that may result in a widespread power outage, including an institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003 (Definitions), Education Code. Makes nonsubstantive changes.
Sec. 2311.002. COMBINED HEATING AND POWER SYSTEMS. Creates Subsection (a) from existing text. Makes no further changes to this subsection.
(b) Requires the State Energy Conservation Office to establish guidelines for the evaluation under Subsection (a) (relating to requiring the entity with charge and control of a certain governmental facility that is under construction or extensive renovations to evaluate whether equipping the facility with a combined hearing and power system would result in expected energy savings that would exceed certain costs).
SECTION 2. Repealer: Chapter 2311 (Energy Security Technologies for Critical Governmental Facilities), Government Code, as added by Chapter 1408 (H.B. 4409), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2013.