HB 2154, Hse 2nd Rdg, Amnd #1

SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "task force" means the generate recurring oil wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) task force established under this section.

(b) The generate recurring oil wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) task force is established to:

(1) serve as the state's primary point of contact for local governments representing areas of this state experiencing high growth associated with the rapid expansion of energy production;

(2) coordinate with those local governments to identify for implementation programs to address the increased demand for education, housing, health care, and workforce training resulting from increased energy production, as permitted by the laws of this state; and

(3) assist those local governments in leveraging federal programs to address the increased demands described by Subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(c) The task force is composed of 13 members appointed by the chief executive officer of the following state agencies and university systems:

(1) the Texas Department of Transportation;

(2) the Texas Workforce Commission;

(3) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;

(4) the Public Utility Commission of Texas;

(5) the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs;

(6) the Texas Department of Public Safety;

(7) the Department of State Health Services;

(8) the Health and Human Services Commission;

(9) The University of Texas System;

(10) The Texas A&M University System;

(11) the Texas Tech University System;

(12) the Texas State University System; and

(13) the Texas Education Agency.

(d) The governor shall designate a member of the task force as the presiding officer of the task force.

(e) Each state agency and university system the chief executive officer of which is required to appoint a member to the task force shall provide administrative support for the task force. The administrative and operational expenses of the task force shall be divided equally among those agencies and systems and paid from existing appropriations.

(f) The task force may consult with relevant experts and stakeholders as the task force determines is appropriate, including the representatives of state professional associations and organizations.

(g) The task force is subject to Chapter 552, Government Code, but is not subject to Chapter 551 of that code.

(h) The task force is abolished and this section expires January 1, 2023.

SECTION 2. (a) Not later than the 30th day after the effective date of this Act:

(1) the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint seven state representatives to a House Select Transportation Committee to Generate Recurring Oil Wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) and designate one member as the presiding officer; and

(2) the lieutenant governor shall appoint five senators to a Senate Select Transportation Committee to Generate Recurring Oil Wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) and designate one member as the presiding officer.

(b) In making appointments under Subsection (a) of this section to the respective select committees, the speaker of the house of representatives and the lieutenant governor shall ensure that the members appointed to a select committee:

(1) reflect, to the extent possible, the ethnic and geographic diversity of this state; and

(2) represent areas of the state:

(A) in which there is significant road degradation due to the production of oil and natural gas;

(B) with the highest rates of production of oil and natural gas; and

(c) The committees established under this section may meet separately at the call of the presiding officer of the committee or jointly at the call of both presiding officers. In joint meetings, the presiding officers shall act as joint presiding officers.

(d) The committees established under this section, meeting separately or jointly, shall:

(1) study and make recommendations regarding:

(A) specific issues that affect areas of the state from which oil and natural gas are produced, including:

(i) infrastructure degradation caused by oil and natural gas production activities;

(ii) the need for increased commercial motor vehicle standards enforcement; and

(iii) the need for increased workforce education and training to facilitate the efficient completion of transportation projects;

(B) specific issues that affect areas of the state engaged in the refining and export of oil and gas, including:

(i) facilitating the efficient export of oil and gas at Texas ports; and

(ii) the need for additional infrastructure to facilitate future oil and gas exports; and

(C) whether railroads are being effectively used to reduce increased commercial vehicle traffic attributable to oil and natural gas production activities; and

(2) identify county roads that are essential to the efficient transport of oil and gas and recommend whether the identified roads should be temporarily or permanently transferred to the state farm-to-market road system.

(e) In making the recommendations required under Subsection (d)(2) of this section with respect to a county road, the committees established under this section shall consider:

(1) the amount of daily commercial vehicle traffic on the county road due to the production of oil and natural gas;

(2) the severity of the degradation to the county road;

(3) the proximity of the county road to major state and United States highways;

(4) whether it is in the best interest of the state to temporarily designate the road as part of the farm-to-market road system for purposes of reconstruction but allow counties to be responsible for ongoing maintenance; and

(5) whether the county road is so essential to the production of oil and natural gas that the road should be permanently designated as part of the farm-to-market road system.

(f) Not later than December 1, 2020, the committees established under this section shall prepare and deliver a written report on the committees' findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation regarding necessary statutory changes and appropriations of state money, to the governor and the legislature.

(g) A committee established under this section may exercise any power of a committee of the committee members' legislative chamber and any power of a joint committee. For the purposes of this section, the committees established under this section are considered a joint committee and the cost of operation of each committee may be borne in the same manner as the cost of a joint committee. The Texas Legislative Council shall provide funding for the operations of the committees. To the extent not inconsistent with this section, the joint rules adopted by the 86th Legislature for the administration of joint interim legislative study committees apply to the committees established under this section.

(h) This section expires January 11, 2021.

SECTION 3. Section 316.093(e), Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019.