By: Birdwell, Hall S.B. No. 1731

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the repeal of laws governing certain state entities, including the functions of those entities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. AGRICULTURE AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The Agriculture and Wildlife Research and Management Advisory Committee is abolished.

(b) Section 50.001, Agriculture Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 50.001. PROGRAM. The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station[, in consultation with the Agriculture and Wildlife Research and Management Advisory Committee established under Section 88.216, Education Code,] shall develop and administer a program to finance agriculture and wildlife research that the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station determines to be of the highest scientific merit and to offer significant promise in providing new directions for long-term solutions to continued agriculture production, water availability, and wildlife habitat availability.

(c) Section 88.216, Education Code, is repealed.

SECTION 2. STATE OF TEXAS ANNIVERSARY REMEMBRANCE DAY MEDAL COMMITTEE. (a) The State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance Day Medal Committee is abolished.

(b) Chapter 3103, Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 3. TEXAS BIOENERGY POLICY COUNCIL AND TEXAS BIOENERGY RESEARCH COMMITTEE. (a) The Texas Bioenergy Policy Council and the Texas Bioenergy Research Committee are abolished.

(b) Chapter 50D, Agriculture Code, is repealed.

(c) To the extent of any conflict, this section prevails over another Act of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

SECTION 4. BORDER SECURITY COUNCIL. (a) The Border Security Council is abolished.

(b) Section 421.0025, Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 5. COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY ACT COMMITTEE. (a) The College Opportunity Act committee is abolished.

(b) Chapter 1233, Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 6. TEXAS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS COMMITTEE. (a) The Texas Distinguished Service Awards Committee is abolished.

(b) Chapter 3102, Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 7. ADVISORY BOARD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAKEHOLDERS. (a) The advisory board of economic development stakeholders is abolished.

(b) Section 481.169, Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 8. TEXAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION PLAN ADVISORY BOARD. (a) The Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Advisory Board is abolished.

(b) Sections 386.057(a) and (b), Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The commission[, in consultation with the advisory board,] annually shall review programs established under the plan, including each project funded under the plan, the amount granted for the project, the emissions reductions attributable to the project, and the cost-effectiveness of the project.

(b) Not later than December 1, 2002, and not later than December 1 of each subsequent second year, the commission[, in consultation with the advisory board,] shall publish and submit to the legislature a biennial plan report. The report must include:

(1) the information included in the annual reviews conducted under Subsection (a);

(2) specific information for individual projects as required by Subsection (c);

(3) information contained in reports received under Sections 386.205, 388.003(e), 388.006, and 391.104; and

(4) a summary of the commission's activities under Section 386.052.

(c) Section 386.104(f), Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

(f) A proposed retrofit, repower, replacement, or add-on equipment project must document, in a manner acceptable to the commission, a reduction in emissions of oxides of nitrogen of at least 30 percent compared with the baseline emissions adopted by the commission for the relevant engine year and application. After study of available emissions reduction technologies and[,] after public notice and comment, [and after consultation with the advisory board,] the commission may revise the minimum percentage reduction in emissions of oxides of nitrogen required by this subsection to improve the ability of the program to achieve its goals.

(d) Sections 386.107, 386.114, and 386.115, Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:

Sec. 386.107. ADJUSTMENT TO MAXIMUM COST-EFFECTIVENESS AMOUNT AND AWARD AMOUNT. After study of available emissions reduction technologies and costs and after public notice and comment, the commission[, in consultation with the advisory board,] may change the values of the maximum grant award criteria established in Section 386.106 to account for inflation or to improve the ability of the program to achieve its goals.

Sec. 386.114. MODIFICATION OF INCENTIVE EMISSIONS STANDARDS. After evaluating new technologies and after public notice and comment, the commission[, in consultation with the advisory board,] may change the incentive emissions standards established by Section 386.113 to improve the ability of the program to achieve its goals.

Sec. 386.115. MODIFICATION OF VEHICLE ELIGIBILITY. After evaluating the availability of vehicles meeting the emissions standards and after public notice and comment, the commission[, in consultation with the advisory board,] may expand the program to include other on-road vehicles, regardless of fuel type used, that meet the emissions standards, have a gross vehicle weight rating of greater than 8,500 pounds, and are purchased or leased in lieu of a new on-road diesel.

(e) Section 386.252(d), Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) The commission may reallocate money designated for the Texas natural gas vehicle grant program under Chapter 394 to other programs described under Subsection (a) if:

(1) the commission, in consultation with the governor [and the advisory board], determines that the use of the money in the fund for that program will cause the state to be in noncompliance with the state implementation plan to the extent that federal action is likely; and

(2) the commission finds that the reallocation of some or all of the funding for the program would resolve the noncompliance.

(f) Sections 394.005(a) and (g), Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The commission by rule shall establish criteria for prioritizing qualifying vehicles eligible to receive grants under this chapter. The commission shall review and revise the criteria as appropriate [after consultation with the advisory board].

(g) The commission shall establish baseline emission levels for emissions of nitrogen oxides for on-road heavy-duty or medium-duty motor vehicles being replaced by using the emission certification for the engine or vehicle being replaced. The commission may consider deterioration of the emission performance of the engine of the vehicle being replaced in establishing the baseline emission level. The commission may consider and establish baseline emission rates for additional pollutants of concern, as determined by the commission [after consultation with the advisory board].

(g) The following provisions of the Health and Safety Code are repealed:

(1) Section 386.001(1);

(2) Section 386.058; and

(3) Section 394.001(1).

SECTION 9. FIRE ANT RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The Fire Ant Research and Management Account Advisory Committee is abolished.

(b) The following provisions are repealed:

(1) Section 77.022, Agriculture Code; and

(2) Section 88.215, Education Code.

SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.