Bill Text: TX HB867 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to written disclosure of gas pipeline leaks to gas distribution customers; clarifying changes to related administrative penalties.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-25 - Referred to Energy Resources [HB867 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB867-Introduced.html
| By: Anchia | H.B. No. 867 | |
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| relating to written disclosure of gas pipeline leaks to gas | ||
| distribution customers; clarifying changes to related | ||
| administrative penalties. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Sections 121.206(a) and (d), Utilities Code, are | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (a) The railroad commission may assess an administrative | ||
| penalty against a person who violates Section 121.201 or a safety | ||
| standard or other rule prescribed or adopted under this subchapter | ||
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| (d) The railroad commission by rule shall adopt guidelines | ||
| to be used in determining the amount of a penalty under this | ||
| subchapter. The guidelines shall include a penalty calculation | ||
| worksheet that specifies the typical penalty for certain | ||
| violations, circumstances justifying enhancement of a penalty and | ||
| the amount of the enhancement, and circumstances justifying a | ||
| reduction in a penalty and the amount of the reduction. The | ||
| guidelines shall take into account: | ||
| (1) the person's history of previous violations of | ||
| Section 121.201 or a safety standard or other rule prescribed or | ||
| adopted under this subchapter [ |
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| of previous violations; | ||
| (2) the seriousness of the violation and of any | ||
| pollution resulting from the violation; | ||
| (3) any hazard to the health or safety of the public; | ||
| (4) the degree of culpability; | ||
| (5) the demonstrated good faith of the person charged; | ||
| and | ||
| (6) any other factor the commission considers | ||
| relevant. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 121, Utilities Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 121.217 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 121.217. WRITTEN NOTICE OF LEAK REQUIRED. (a) The | ||
| railroad commission by rule shall require a distribution gas | ||
| pipeline facility operator to mail written notice of a leak not | ||
| later than 72 hours after the leak is discovered to each customer | ||
| whose billed property is located less than one-quarter mile from | ||
| where the leak occurred. | ||
| (b) The written notice must be printed in both English and | ||
| Spanish. | ||
| SECTION 3. The Railroad Commission of Texas shall adopt the | ||
| rules required by Section 121.217, Utilities Code, as added by this | ||
| Act, not later than December 31, 2019. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
