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SECTION 1. Add new Chapter
157 to the Education Code to read as follows:
CHAPTER 157. TexNet Seismic Monitoring Advisory Committee
Sec. 157.001
DEFINITION. In this Chapter, the "TexNet Seismic Monitoring
Program" means the program administered by the Texas Bureau of
Economic Geology which oversees an array
of equipment for a seismic network to study seismic events in Texas.
Sec. 157.002 TexNet
Advisory Committee.
(1) For as long as the TexNet Seismic Monitoring
Program receives funds from the State of Texas, there shall be a
TexNet Advisory Committee composed of ten
members, three to be appointed by the Governor, three to be appointed by
the Lieutenant Governor, three to be appointed by the Speaker of the House,
and one to be an employee of the
Texas Railroad Commission who specializes in seismology, geomechanical
engineering, reservoir engineering or another related field and is appointed by the Executive
Director of the Texas Railroad Commission.
At least one appointment each from the Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, and Speaker must be from the oil and gas industry.
No person affiliated with
or under contract for services under
this program with the Bureau of Economic Geology may serve as a
voting member of the Advisory Committee.
(2) The TexNet Economic Advisory Committee shall:
(a) Develop in consultation with Bureau of Economic
Geology staff a program of work for the TexNet program and any affiliated
research efforts to include
acquisition and deployment of equipment,
contracting with vendors,
determine scope of
research program and
any other use of funds appropriated by the Legislature
for the TexNet Seismic Monitoring Program and
any associated research.
(b) Approve an annual
budget for the use funds appropriated by the Legislature to the TexNet
Seismic Monitoring Program;
(c) provide oversight and
input on the acquisition, deployment and operation of new and existing
Program equipment;
(d) Prepare a biennial
report to be delivered the House Energy
Committee and the Senate Natural Resources and Economic Development
Committees on or before December 1 of even numbered years regarding
the use of the funds, a complete listing and accounting of all research
funded through the program including a listing of contractors, itemized
budget for each program element, complete
listing of geographic coverage of the Program, important research undertaken and any findings or progress of
the research for the Program, and recommendations related to the
ongoing operations and requirements of the Program;
(e) Ensure that there is
a monthly transmission of the data collected by the seismic equipment to
the Incorporated Research Institutes
for Seismology database; and
(f) Receive quarterly updates from the
Bureau of Economic Geology regarding the progress of the program,
expenditures made in connection with the Program as approved by the TexNet Advisory Committee, and any
other information related to the program requested
of the Bureau of Economic Geology.
(See Sec. 157.002(2)(d), above.)
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SECTION 1. Chapter 67,
Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER E. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS BUREAU OF ECONOMIC
GEOLOGY
Sec. 67.71. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "bureau"
means The University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology.
Sec. 67.72. TEXNET
TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) In this section, "program"
means the TexNet seismic monitoring program administered by the bureau.
(b) The TexNet Technical Advisory Committee is established as an advisory committee within
the bureau.
(c) The advisory
committee consists of nine members
appointed by the governor, including:
(1) one representative of the Railroad
Commission of Texas who specializes in seismology, geomechanical
engineering, reservoir engineering, or another related field recommended to the governor by the
executive director of the Railroad Commission of Texas; and
(2) at least three representatives from the oil and gas
industry, not to include the
representative appointed under Subdivision (1).
(d) The governor shall designate a member of the advisory
committee as the chair of the advisory committee to serve in that capacity
at the pleasure of the governor.
(e) A person affiliated
with the bureau or under contract for services with the bureau may not
serve as a voting member of the advisory committee.
(f) The director of the bureau shall serve, ex officio, as a
nonvoting member of the advisory committee.
(g) The advisory
committee shall:
(1) in coordination with the bureau, develop recommendations for a program of work to assist the program and any research
efforts affiliated with the program in
accomplishing the goals of the program, including recommendations
regarding:
(A) the acquisition and
deployment of equipment;
(B) contracting with
vendors;
(C) determining the scope
of research programs associated with the
program; and
(D) determining the scope of any use of
funds appropriated by the legislature for the program or associated research;
(2) review and approve or reject expenditures made in
connection with the program;
(3) prepare and approve an annual budget
for the use of any funds appropriated for the program by the legislature;
(4) provide oversight and
input on the acquisition, deployment, and operation of new and existing
program equipment;
(See Sec. 67.72(h),
below.)
(5) ensure that there is
a monthly transmission of the data collected by seismic equipment operated under the program to the
Incorporated Research Institutions
for Seismology database; and
(6) solicit from the bureau quarterly
updates regarding the progress of the program, expenditures made in
connection with the program, and any other information related to the
program that the advisory committee
finds necessary.
(h) Not later than
December 1 of each even-numbered year, the advisory committee shall prepare
and submit to the governor, the
lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives
a report that includes:
(1) a review of the use of any funds appropriated for the program by the
legislature;
(2) a complete listing
and accounting of all research funded through the program, including:
(A) a list of contractors
employed under the program;
(B) an itemized budget
for each program element; and
(C) a list of the
geographic coverage of the program; and
(3) recommendations
related to the ongoing operations and requirements of the program.
(i) This section expires September 1, 2019.
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