TITLE: Relating to a program administered by the Railroad Commission of Texas to provide grants to promote pipeline emergency preparedness; authorizing a fee.

SUMMARY: Relating to a program administered by the Railroad Commission of Texas to provide grants to promote pipeline emergency preparedness; authorizing a fee.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to a program administered by the Railroad Commission of Texas to provide grants to promote pipeline emergency preparedness; authorizing a fee. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 81, Natural Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 81.0715 to read as follows: Sec. 81.0715. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FEES AND GRANTS. (a) The commission by rule shall establish pipeline emergency preparedness fees to be assessed for permits or registrations for pipelines under the jurisdiction of the commission's pipeline safety and regulatory program. (b) Fees collected under this section shall be deposited to the credit of a dedicated account in the general revenue fund. Money in the account may be appropriated only for the purposes of the grant program established by this section and associated administrative expenses. (c) The commission shall establish a grant program to provide funding for emergency preparedness expenses, such as the creation of evacuation plans for pipeline-related emergencies, such as spills or leaks. (d) The commission may provide a grant under this section only to a political subdivision that: (1) provides emergency services to respond to pipeline-related emergencies; and (2) is located within five miles of a pipeline. (e) The commission may establish the fees in an amount necessary to provide a reasonable amount of funding for the grant program established by this section, based on emergency preparedness expenses typically required by political subdivisions for pipeline-related emergencies. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.