Bill Text: TX SB515 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regarding the effects of the construction of a border wall on storm drainage and other environmental matters in this state.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-14 - Referred to Water & Rural Affairs [SB515 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB515-Introduced.html
| 86R6855 JAM-D | ||
| By: Rodríguez | S.B. No. 515 | |
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| relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board and the | ||
| Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regarding the effects of | ||
| the construction of a border wall on storm drainage and other | ||
| environmental matters in this state. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. (a) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Board" means the Texas Water Development Board. | ||
| (2) "Border wall" means a wall, fence, or other | ||
| barrier on the border between the United States and Mexico. | ||
| (3) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on | ||
| Environmental Quality. | ||
| (b) The board and the commission jointly shall: | ||
| (1) conduct a study concerning the effects the | ||
| construction of a border wall would have on storm drainage, water | ||
| quality, and environmental contamination matters in this state; and | ||
| (2) develop recommendations for actions that may | ||
| prevent or mitigate any negative effects on storm drainage, water | ||
| quality, or environmental contamination matters resulting from the | ||
| construction of a border wall. | ||
| (c) The study must investigate: | ||
| (1) whether and to what extent the construction of a | ||
| border wall would cause or contribute to flood management or other | ||
| storm drainage problems in this state; | ||
| (2) whether and to what extent the construction of a | ||
| border wall would cause or contribute to negative environmental | ||
| contamination or other environmental effects in this state; | ||
| (3) whether certain designs or methods of construction | ||
| of a border wall would prevent or mitigate any negative effects | ||
| identified under Subdivisions (1) or (2) of this subsection; | ||
| (4) any economic effects expected to result from any | ||
| negative effects identified under Subdivision (1) or (2) of this | ||
| subsection; and | ||
| (5) what actions by the state would best prevent or | ||
| mitigate any negative effects identified under Subdivision (1) or | ||
| (2) of this subsection, including any potential legal actions | ||
| against the federal government to stop the construction or alter | ||
| the design of a border wall. | ||
| (d) Not later than March 1, 2020, the board and the | ||
| commission shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, | ||
| and each standing committee of the legislature having primary | ||
| jurisdiction over water development and environmental matters: | ||
| (1) a report of the findings of the study conducted | ||
| under this section; and | ||
| (2) recommendations for actions that may prevent or | ||
| mitigate any negative storm drainage, water quality, or | ||
| environmental contamination effects resulting from the | ||
| construction of a border wall, including any potential legal | ||
| actions against the federal government to stop the construction or | ||
| alter the design of a border wall. | ||
| (e) This section expires January 1, 2021. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
