Bill Text: TX HB2932 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a study and report by the Bureau of Economic Geology on land shifting
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-04 - Left pending in committee [HB2932 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB2932-Introduced.html
| By: Anchia | H.B. No. 2932 | |
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| re | ||
| lating to a study and report by the Bureau of Economic Geology on | ||
| land shifting | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 418, Government Code, is | ||
| amended as follows: | ||
| Sec. 418.122. STATE STUDY OF LAND USE AND CONSTRUCTION | ||
| STANDARDS. (a) The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission | ||
| and other state agencies, in conjunction with the division, shall | ||
| keep land uses and construction of structures and other facilities | ||
| under continuing study and shall identify areas that are | ||
| particularly susceptible to severe land shifting, subsidence, | ||
| flooding, or other catastrophes. | ||
| (b) The studies shall concentrate on means of reducing or | ||
| avoiding the dangers and consequences of a catastrophe. | ||
| (c) The Bureau of Economic Geology shall conduct a study to | ||
| examine earthquakes and land shifting occurring in the State of | ||
| Texas. The study must identify: | ||
| (1) all earthquakes that occurred in the state above | ||
| 1.1 on the Richter magnitude scale by date, intensity, location or | ||
| general geographical description, and with a particular emphasis on | ||
| any series of earthquake events; | ||
| (2) the approximate focal depths and epicenters of the | ||
| earthquakes and any new or developing fault lines; | ||
| (3) causal factors that may have lead to the | ||
| earthquake activity including all possible natural and | ||
| anthropogenic causes and a correlation analysis of any | ||
| environmental or man-made factors; | ||
| (4) the necessary equipment and related cost needed to | ||
| maintain a scientifically adequate seismic network to continue the | ||
| study and best practices identified in other states for studying | ||
| earthquakes and land shifting; | ||
| (5) any hazard assessments in coordination and | ||
| conjunction with the Division of Emergency Management and local | ||
| emergency management personnel; and | ||
| (6) any other information the Bureau believes is | ||
| necessary for inclusion in the study; and | ||
| (7) recommendations for reducing earthquakes induced | ||
| by anthropogenic causes. | ||
| (b) The Bureau of Economic Geology shall coordinate with the | ||
| USGS National Earthquake Information Center and other qualified | ||
| academic partners in conducting the study. | ||
| (c) Not later than December 1 of even numbered years, the | ||
| Bureau of Economic Geology shall submit to the Governor and the | ||
| standing legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over | ||
| state finance, public safety and urban affairs the results of the | ||
| study and any recommendations for legislative or other action. | ||
| SECTION 2. 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, 2015. | ||
