During the regular session, the Legislature considered a total
of 6,190 bills. A total of 1,481 bills, excluding resolutions, were
enacted by both the House and Senate. The Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (TCEQ) monitored more than 1,223 bills with
the potential to affect the agency or its operations. Of this
amount, 345 bills passed that impact the agency and will require
either rule making, revisions to guidance documents, operational or
procedural changes, or some type of administrative action within
the agency.
The 80th Legislative Session Wrap-up report summarizes
legislation of interest to the agency that passed during the
regular session, impacting agency programs, employees, and
stakeholders.
Legislative Summaries: 80th
Legislature
The Legislative Implementation table from the 80th Regular
Session provides TCEQ contact and schedule information on
legislation that will impact the agency.
Legislative
Implementation: 80th Legislature
Examples of the more significant initiatives approved by the
Legislature that impact the agency include:
- Transfer the regulation and licensing of commercial processing
and storage of radioactive substances from TDSHS to TCEQ (SB
1604).
- Revisions to the Low Income Repair Assistance and Accelerated
Vehicle Purchase (LIRAP) and the Texas Emission Reduction Plan
(TERP) with increased program funding (SB 12).
- Major legislative revisions affecting environmental review for
water permitting, water conservation and rainwater harvesting,
regulation of irrigation systems, CCN changes, designation of
unique reservoir sites, and increased permitted groundwater
withdrawals for the Edwards Aquifer (HB 3, HB 4, SB 3).
- Creation of a grant program to reduce NOx emissions from
stationary compressor engines (SB 2000).
- Implementation of a permitting process for advanced clean
energy projects and other environmentally protective projects (HB
3732).
- Extension of the Petroleum Storage Tank Remediation program
until 2011 to provide storage tank owners additional opportunity to
close leaking tank sites. Providing TCEQ shut down authority for
operations that lack financial assurance (HB 1956/HB 3554).
- Revisions to Dry Cleaner Remediation Program created by the
78th Legislature (HB 3220).
The Commission will be initiating the necessary actions to
implement all legislation described here that requires rule making
or other changes to agency operations. Any questions concerning
legislation affecting the TCEQ can be directed to the
Intergovernmental Relations Division at (512) 239-3500.
