BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1587
	By: Hughes
	Natural Resources & Economic Development
	7/17/2019
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The abandoned mine land (AML) program administered by the Railroad Commission of Texas works to remediate and restore abandoned mine sites throughout Texas. As part of the reclamation process, the railroad commission contracts with vendors to remediate and restore abandoned mine sites. Examples of remediation work contractors perform include reclamation design, site surveys, environmental assessments, grading, erosion control, and revegetation.

Currently, the railroad commission must procure goods and services for mine reclamation projects through the purchasing function within the Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas (comptroller). This requirement delays procurements for mine reclamation projects. Further, this approach precludes the railroad commission from structuring or letting efficient contracts.

S.B. 1587 delegates purchasing functions related to AML reclamation projects to the railroad commission. As part of this change, the comptroller would no longer review and approve AML‑related contracts; that function would be housed within the railroad commission. The agency already retains this authority, by law, for its abandoned wells program and oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 1587 amends current law relating to the delegation to the Railroad Commission of Texas of purchasing functions regarding the reclamation of certain abandoned mines.

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 Section 2155.150(a), Government Code, as follows;

(a) Provides that the Railroad Commission of Texas is delegated all purchasing functions relating to purchases under:

(1)�(2) makes nonsubstantive changes to these subdivisions; and

(3) Chapters 131 (Uranium Surface Mining and Reclamation Act) and 134 (Texas Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act), Natural Resources Code.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2019.